Section Three The Evolution of Joining
As discussed in previous sections, bonding has been an accepted solution for joining materials for thousands of years. However, it is only in the last century that adhesives have entered their ‘golden age’. The pace of bonding technology development during the 20th century facilitated many technological advancements that would not be possible, or nearly as affordable, without the use of highly specialised adhesives. The following sections address many of the advantages and advancements that adhesives facilitate. These include reduced weight, increased efficiency, incorporation of new substrates, improved aesthetics and improved strength-to-weight ratios. The specifics of load distribution, acting forces on an assembly, environmental factors and substrate properties are addressed in other sections of this book.