The ‘cure-on-demand’ properties of UV adhesives, together with rapid polymerisation, has led to their use in high-volume assembly processes where fast throughput and reduced work-in-progress levels offer real cost savings [2]. UV adhesives are generally single-part products allowing easy application. UV light must penetrate through to the bond line for the adhesive to cure, thus limiting at least one substrate to be clear or translucent to allow sufficient UV light to be transmitted.
A UV-curing adhesive requires investment in cure equipment but does offer the benefits of curing on demand and optical clarity.