Is Adhesive the Best Bolt Locking Method?

Adhesives or Nord-Lock washers? Finding the ultimate bolt securing system is no easy task. Here is a guide to making the right choice.

	Nord-Lock Wedge-Locking	Adhesives
Locking capability	Reliable	Varies
Range	M3-M130 (standard range)	Unlimited (not size dependent)
Temperature	Same temperature characteristics as regular bolts/nuts.	Sensitive to high temperatures.
Assembly	No preparation required.	Requires degreasing.
Curing time	No curing time.	Up to 12 hours (increased downtime of equipment).
Control over clamp load	Linear relationship between torque/load thus possible to predict the clamp load. Does not increase the risk of torsion.	Adds friction in the thread, making it difficult to predict the clamp load. Also increases the risk of torsion.
Disassembly	No special requirements.	Requires heating.
Reusability	Reusable. Does not affect reusability of bolts/nuts.	Not possible to reuse. Bolts/nuts needs to be cleaned before reuse, which is time consuming.
Environment	Recyclable. Meets ELV and RoHS directives.	Not recyclable, contains contaminous chemicals. May cause allergic reactions.
Lubrication	Possible to lubricate.	Not possible.
Visual inspection	Visual inspection possible.	Visual inspection possible.
Life cycle cost (LCC)	Low. Relative high price per unit. Long life cycle. Improves stability and minimizes maintenance cost.	High. Relative low price per unit. Short life cycle. Increases maintenance costs and assembly time.