Adhesives offer several benefits for joining materials. They distribute loads across the entire joint area. They show excellent fatigue properties. They attenuate vibrations and sound. They often fulfill a dual role, bonding a joint as well as sealing it against ingress of water or other fluids. Because of their low electrical conductivity, adhesives significantly reduce galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals. And finally, adhesive assembly is often much faster and more cost-effective than mechanical methods.
Adhesives come in several forms: thin liquids, thick pastes, films, powders, tapes or solids that must be melted. They can be designed with a wide range of strengths, from weak temporary adhesives for holding parts in place to high-strength structural formulations.