Sourcing Materials

In the last year, materials have become difficult to source because of supply chain issues. The situation is a real concern for many contractors and manufacturers. The difficulty isn’t finding a replacement material – it’s the time delay and associated down-time costs. Testing and validating a material can take two to 12 months.

Appli-Tec helps manufacturers by providing two solutions to their supply chain challenges: sourcing chemically identical materials or modifying existing formulations.

Using chemically identical materials

Replacing a discontinued or unavailable raw material involves many steps.

First, we determine if a direct offset exists. If an offset doesn’t exist, alternative materials with very similar chemical structure and performance are sourced.

For some materials, we can locate a chemically identical material that will be readily available for years to come. We then check the manufacturer’s certifications and chemically fingerprint using FTIR.

The new material is incorporated it into your adhesive formulation and rigorously tested. Results are compared with historical data on file to confirm the new material meets adhesive specifications.

Modifying your existing formulation

Currently, some materials aren’t available, anywhere. To solve this challenge, Appli-Tec can modify your existing formulation.

Our first step is to determine if one our adhesive materials can be customized to suit the application’s structural, thermal, electrical, rheological and acoustical specifications.

For example, we can add fumed silica (CAB-O-SIL) for better thixotropic properties, enhance thermal or electrical properties, or adjust pot life or cure time.

The new formulation is then rigorously tested to ensure it meets your precise specifications.

If we don’t have the right material for you, we’ll research and find the right one from another manufacturer, or provide recommendations on other steps you can take.

If you’re experiencing challenges sourcing an adhesive material, please contact us. One of our team members will work with you to find a solution to fit your needs. You can also view our page listing some of the more common materials people search for.