Smart Bonding – Joining, Sealing, Damping
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
When components are joined together permanently or detachably, various joining technologies are used. These are referred to as mechanical, thermal, and chemical joints. A distinction is also made between form-fit, force-fit, and material-fit joints.
Knowing which technology to use and when is part of our expertise. This decision must be made early in the development process to ensure that the resulting products are practical, cost-effective, and durable.
Knowing what you want
Effective solutions are usually obvious once it is clear what the goal is. Should the joint be removable or permanent? Which material choice limits the options for joining components? Production and assembly solutions—depending on cost, speed, efficiency, and automatability—are also factors that must be taken into account when defining the project scope.
We support you right from the start of a project with our expertise and involve adhesive manufacturers early on in the project. This allows key aspects—such as the design, the necessary pretreatment of the parts to be bonded, relevant process parameters, and material-related challenges—to be identified and clarified in a timely manner.
Smart Bonding – Joining, Sealing, Damping
In this article, we’ll explain why bonding is a particularly smart and versatile joining technology. Not only does bonding join components, but it can also seal and dampen at the same time. This explains why we use this process so often and why customer demand for it has increased dramatically.
Adhesive bonding is a type of chemical and material-based joining method. An adhesive tailored to the specific requirements forms a bond that offers many advantages:
– Design freedom in construction and design
– Bonding of different materials
– High strength
– Sealing properties
– Damping properties
– Reliably automatable
Removable and Sealing Bond
We manufacture rechargeable batteries for our customer Armasuisse. In this process, the housing components are bonded together. What makes this unique is that this bond also serves as a seal and is removable, ensuring the product can be repaired. This extends the service life, which is a key factor in sustainability. It also ensures that, at the end of the product life cycle, the materials can be recycled and disposed of by type. The bonding process does not introduce any stresses to achieve a seal (as is the case with O-rings, for example), resulting in virtually no part deformation. This eliminates the need for an additional component, and the adhesive can be applied automatically—both of which reduce time and costs.
Bonding as a Damping Method
Adhesive bonding can be used as a damping measure when rigid joints would quickly fail under high mechanical stress. We use this approach for components in sheep shears to meet the stringent requirements of drop tests. In this way, we combine the fixation of components with damping, which is achieved through the use of a permanently elastic adhesive. Since its introduction in Australia in 2025, this—the world’s most powerful cordless sheep shears—has been in proven use in thousands of applications.
Aesthetic Bonded Seam
In visible areas, bonded joints must meet not only technical requirements but also the highest aesthetic standards. In addition to precise color selection, this also affects the cleanliness and overall appearance of the bond.
For a product in the sanitary sector, we bond two thermoset components in series. The bonding of the finished assembly is a two-step process. First, the parts are mechanically joined using an adhesive. In the next step, the joint between the two parts is sealed with an aesthetically pleasing adhesive bond. The overall appearance must be flawless, completely leak-proof, and able to withstand aggressive cleaning agents.
To guarantee a flawless result even during large-scale production, we have developed and built an in-house production line where a robot applies the precisely temperature-controlled adhesive 24/7.
Fixing and Casting
In a scanner module manufactured by a leading consumer electronics company, we bond heavy components to a circuit board. This bond withstands even the most demanding drop tests and sustained high accelerations.
We also use adhesives for potting—that is, for securely embedding electronic circuit boards in plastic housings.
Customized—from manual to fully automatic
To meet specific requirements, it is often necessary to specify an adhesive that is not otherwise available. The choice of adhesive also depends on where and how it is to be used and applied. Together with our partners, we always find the right solution for your problem.
For simpler assemblies and smaller production runs, manual bonding may be the most cost-effective solution. For high-volume production or special aesthetic requirements, we develop custom automated bonding systems that can also control ambient temperature and humidity.
Development and Production Under One Roof
Bringing development and production together under one roof is crucial for achieving short innovation cycles while meeting high customer expectations. This allows us to guarantee consistent professionalism from development through production and assembly. Communication channels are short, communication is straightforward, and our processes are well-established and time-tested. That’s why CEKA is the right choice for you: Smart Bonding—joining, sealing, damping.
We look forward to receiving your specific inquiry!
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