The Adhesives & Bonding Expo is set for March 24 to 26, 2020 at the Suburban Collection Showplace convention center in Novi, Michigan, near Detroit. The first-of-its-kind event will be co-located with the popular Foam Expo North America so attendees can take in two conferences at the same time.
Marketing Executive Georgia Boyer refers to the exposition as a “brand new supply chain event,” that is free to attend.
Bonding solutions and adhesives are taking on an increasingly important role in manufacturing operations thanks to the trend toward lightweighting, in which light but strong components are used in place of their heavier counterparts in order to reduce fuel use. Lightweighting is particularly popular in the automotive and aerospace sectors, and these two markets will be represented at the exposition, along with representatives from the electronics, appliances and furniture, medical, and construction industries.
Adhesives and bonding solutions feature prominently in other recent manufacturing developments as well. “Alongside structural applications, functional adhesives and innovative bonding approaches will play a critical role in supporting manufacturing trends – digitalization, additive manufacturing, and more – and this forum provides a networking hub for these advancements,” reads conference information.
With all this in mind, the inaugural Adhesives & Bonding Expo will offer presentations, speakers, exhibitors, and networking opportunities. Engineers can get the latest on adhesives and bonding solutions, chemicals, and equipment. Bonding experts in the fields of lamination, sealants, and adhesives can meet and mingle with potential buyers and take advantage of a business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking service.
The Adhesives & Bonding Expo, together with the co-located Foam Expo, will provide “three days of unmissable opportunities for those working in the industry,” states Boyer.
The event is being organized by Smarter Shows, an international company that puts together conferences covering the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
Scheduled speakers at the show include Microsoft Director New Technology Brian Toleno, GE Healthcare Material Scientist & Adhesive COE Leader Yanju Wang, and Bostik Technical Service Engineer Cyrielle Kolbecher.
The exposition will offer thought-provoking education sessions presented in a variety of formats. Buyers’ guide events, for example, are designed to help buyers pick the right foam and adhesive technologies for certain applications. There will also be in-depth roundtables about various topics, end-user question and answer sessions focused on challenges such as reducing costs and industry spotlights on specific industry requirements and challenges.
First day session highlights include a plenary panel on the topic ‘Staying Ahead of the Curve: How to Achieve the Balance Between Cost Efficiency and Sustainability’ and a discussion about ‘Investigating Technology Trends in Adhesive Markets to Unlock Future Applications.’
Day two will feature a presentation on ‘Getting It Right the First Time: Controlling and Speeding Up Drying and Curing Processes of Adhesives to Improve Throughput and Resource Efficiency’ and a roundtable discussion dedicated to ‘Understanding Flammability Behavior of Adhesives and Foams and Their Contribution to Burn Behavior in Parts.’
The third day of the conference boasts a presentation about ‘Testing and Validating Adhesives to Meet Application and Assembly Line Requirements’ and an Industry spotlight on the topic of ‘Discovering the Requirements of the Energy Efficient and Sustainable Building Market.’
A wide array of exhibitors will be present, representing various markets. These include supply materials, including acrylic polymers, nitrile rubber, and polyester resin; manufacturer products, such as multi-component adhesives, acrylics, bioadhesives, and thermoplastics; and process equipment such as fluid dispensers, laser systems, and spray applicators. Other segments include surface and polymer analysis, which covers heat ageing, peel strength measurements, and liquid property evaluation as well as bonding technology, including optical, metal, wire, glass, adhesive, and dental bonding.
Exhibitors include huge firms such as 3M, Bostik, Sika, and the DOW Chemical Company. Avery Dennison Performance Tapes, Loctite, and Catbridge Machinery have signed on as show sponsors.
Expo attendees will be able to take part in online B2B matchmaking meetings. The matchmaking service lets suppliers chat with potential buyers. Online B2B meetings will take place during regular exhibition hours. Further details will be included on an Adhesives & Bonding Expo Event app which is scheduled to go live a month before the conference starts. Once downloaded, conference goers can use the app to schedule B2B meetings.
In an interview posted on the Adhesives & Bonding Expo website, advisory board member Dr. Giorgio Zaffaroni of the company Permabond offered some industry insights when asked to cite the biggest challenge facing the adhesives sector. “Every industry sector brings us new challenges. However, there are general trends that encompass many different industries. For example, lightweighting began in transportation but has spread throughout all industries. This challenged adhesive manufacturers to provide composite bonding adhesives. Thermal management is a challenge for multiple industries, including automotive, battery, and electronics.”
“Efficient production requirements challenge adhesive manufacturers to produce products with shorter cure times. This leads to the increased use of UV activated adhesives for example,” explained Dr. Zaffaroni.
“Other examples of challenges common to many industries include formulating products with improved health and safety classifications, bonding new protective coatings and paints, bonding new plastics and composites, and producing adhesives with short cure times for efficient production,” he said.
Such challenges might be overcome, Zaffaroni said. “The current trend is to try to fix all of the issues by formulations, i.e., by using new raw materials or new technologies such as using different polymer types. Also increasing are requests for product certifications such as potable water contact, flame retardancy, halogen-free products, gas tightness, and so forth helps to make adhesive users more confident in the adoption of this form of joining.”
Zaffaroni also said he is greatly looking forward to attending the inaugural Adhesives & Bonding Expo.
“During the event, I believe there will be opportunities to discuss general topics in a cooperative environment where the manufacturers of adhesives will meet among themselves and with the final users with the common goal of widening the application areas of adhesive bonding technology,” he stated, in his interview.
For more information or to register for the Adhesives & Bonding Expo, please visit: http://www.adhesivesandbondingexpo.com/
