Surface Preparation

Surface preparation is the process of treating a substrate in order to increase its adhesion to coatings. The process clears the surface of pre-existing coatings, imperfections and contaminants. Preparation is essential for treating substrates before they are painted or coated. Activators and primers are applied before using adhesives.

To improve adhesion and prolong the service life of the assembly, it is important to select the right product for surface preparation. The choice depends on the substrate, the environment, and the expected life of the assembly.

ConRo Electronics offers a wide choice of surface preparation products from major manufacturers such as Henkel Loctite.

Conro Electronics is an authorized distributor for Henkel Loctite.

Types of surface products

Cleaners/Solvents: Chemical cleaning should be carried out before any other preparation. It involves the removal of dirt, oil, oxides and other contaminants. Organic contaminants are removed by degreasing. Loose deposits are dislodged by scraping or washing with chemicals. A wide choice of products is available for cleaning and degreasing. Some are general purpose, while others are highly specialised.
Activators: Activators are designed to increase curing speed. They are applied before the adhesive. They are suitable for use on plastics, which are sensitive to stress cracking. They are also recommended for use on passive metals. Activators provide a good cosmetic appearance by avoiding white staining of instant adhesives. They are available as solvent-based or solvent-free formulations.
Primers: Primers are adhesion promoters. They have a higher solid content compared to activators. Primers even out substrate irregularities and create a larger bonding surface. This leads to a stronger bond. Primers are applied before the adhesive. They are suitable for use on low energy plastic surfaces.

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