3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxy Adhesives are high-strength bonding materials available in one-part or two-part formulations. Depending on the epoxy type, they can bond rigid or dissimilar substrates and provide resistance to fatigue, impact, shock, vibration, solvents, elevated temperatures, and outdoor weathering.
How 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxies Support Manufacturing
3M structural epoxies are suitable for bonding a wide range of materials commonly used across electronic, industrial, and automotive manufacturing environments.
As an authorized 3M distributor and specialty materials partner, Ellsworth works closely with manufacturers to evaluate substrates, production processes, and operating conditions, helping them optimize product design and assembly performance:
• Create clean and consistent bond lines
• Reduce assembly weight and noise
• Bond and seal simultaneously
• Absorb shock and vibration
• Resist chemicals, weathering, and harsh environments
• Enhance corrosion resistance
• Enable manual and automated dispensing processes
RECOMMENDED 3M STRUCTURAL EPOXIES FOR YOUR APPLICATIONS
Every assembly is unique. That’s why 3M maintains a wide line of epoxy technologies. Options include toughened, flexible, and potting-grade formulations to address diverse manufacturing and engineering requirements.
1. Toughened Epoxy for Impact, Vibration and Fatigue Resistance
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxy Adhesive DP420
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ DP420 is a two-part structural epoxy designed to deliver high shear and peel strength across demanding multi-material assemblies requiring a strong, durable bond. It can replace screws, rivets, mechanical fasteners, and spot welds, supporting lighter assemblies and simplified fabrication.
Typical Applications
• Panel bonding
• Potting
• Composite assembly
• Structural bonding in metal working, transportation, sporting goods, marine
• General industrial manufacturing
Key Advantages
• High-strength structural bonds for metals and composites
• Toughened formulation for impact resistance and durability
• Room-temperature cure in 24 hours
• Heat-accelerated curing capability
• 20-minute working time with 2.5-hour handling strength
• Excellent resistance to moisture, fuels, and elevated temperatures
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxy Adhesive DP460EG
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ DP460 EG is a two component, toughened epoxy adhesive designed to provide strong bonds on a variety of substrates. This material exhibits excellent shear and peel strength, good impact durability and lower outgassing and ionic properties. It works well on ceramics, metals, glass, wood and some plastics.
Typical Applications
Ideal for electronics, hard disk drive assembly, bearing cartridge assembly, potting, ruggedizing, magnet bonding, E-block assembly.
Key Advantages
• Stands up to expansion, flexing, and environmental aging
• Lower outgassing and ionics than standard epoxies.
• Room-temperature cure in 24 hours
• Allows project handling in 4-6 hours
1. Flexible Structural Epoxy for Differential Movement and Plastic Bonding
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxy Adhesive DP190
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ DP190 is a two component, fast curing, epoxy based resin that offers flexibility, high shear and peel strength. This epoxy adhesive is formulated to bond to a wide range of materials, such as metals, ceramics, wood, fiberboard, glass, rubber and many plastics.
Typical Applications
Ideal for applications in construction and building, aircraft and automobile manufacturing, appliance repair, and many more.
Key Advantages
• Offers strong bonding to absorb the impact of shock, vibration, and flexing
• Helps maintain the impact of demanding conditions, such as environmental aging
• Achieves handling strength in approximately 6 hours
• Allows up to 80 minutes of working time
• Room-temperature cure in 14 days
2. Epoxy Potting Compound for Potting and Bonding Electronic, Electrical Components
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Epoxy Potting Compound DP270
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ DP270 is rigid, two-part epoxy adhesive that is used to protect sensitive electrical connections from the environment. It offers non-corrosive formulation, good electrical properties, resistance to medical sterilization and thermal shock.
Typical Applications
Ideal for sealing, encapsulating, and potting electronic and heat sensitive components.
Key Advantages
• Minimal exotherm and very low shrinkage
• Low viscosity for easy dispensing and potting
• Features a 70-minute work life
• Flammability testing per UL94 HB
• Available in black and clear versions
How to Select the Right Industrial Epoxy Adhesive
Selecting the right industrial epoxy adhesive requires evaluating substrate compatibility, assembly conditions, production requirements, and long-term performance objectives. The following considerations can help narrow product options and identify the most suitable epoxy technology for evaluation.
• Identify the bonding substrates: The first consideration is the substrate. Structural adhesives interact directly with the bonding surface, making substrate type and surface condition critical to adhesive selection.
• Determine the required work life: Assembly size and production speed often influence the ideal curing profile. Smaller assemblies and high-throughput production lines may benefit from shorter work lives, while larger assemblies typically require additional working time for alignment, repositioning, and clamping before the adhesive begins to cure.
• Evaluate the operating environment: Consider the conditions the bonded assembly will encounter, including temperature, moisture, chemicals, outdoor exposure, vibration, and impact loads. These requirements often determine the most suitable epoxy technology.
• Consider Your Manufacturing Process: Structural adhesives are available in a range of viscosities, package sizes, and dispensing formats to support different production environments. Whether you apply adhesives manually or through automated equipment, selecting a product that aligns with your dispensing and curing process can help improve assembly consistency and productivity.
