# 7.3 Critical Factors when Selecting Adhesives

> From: LOCTITE®X Digital Manual for Bonding (https://www.loctitex.com/en/manuals/bonding/7.3-critical-factors-when-selecting-adhesives/)

### 7.3 Critical Factors when Selecting Adhesives

As discussed in Section 4, the following factors need to be considered when selecting an adhesive/sealant for an application. Understanding these factors is also extremely useful when examining failure modes and systematically troubleshooting the root cause of a failure.

Substrates Bond line gap Strength requirements Temperature requirements Environmental requirements Acting forces/stressors Processing parameters/ production quantity Cost – adhesive and equipment

The above guide is a starting point; conducting a comprehensive review of failure modes would require an entire book. When performing a failure mode analysis, it is always best to keep an open mind as the little details are often the most important.

Once the problem is identified, rectifying the issue may involve some of the following: altering the specification of the adhesive, modifying the surface preparation techniques, altering the application processes, changing the substrates or further training of applicators.