While thread-locking adhesives are an ideal solution to guard against the loosening of nuts and bolts, they also offer a longer-term solution to enhance the life of equipment and processes. Here are some handy tips and facts on their use:
- They are a type of adhesive that cure in the absence of oxygen, known as ‘anaerobic’.
- Thread-locking adhesives minimise vibration and prevent corrosion caused by moisture ingress.
- They set to form a thermoset plastic bond between nuts and bolts that is more durable than a nylon nut and can replace sealing tapes and pastes.
- Thread-locking adhesives can be supplied in lower strength grades that prevent loosening but allow disassembly with a simple hand tool.
- Various grades are available for specific use cases and applications.
- When it comes to locking devices, they reduce the likelihood of any accidents, minimise equipment maintenance and increase plant and product efficiency.
- An activator is suggested when using thread-locking adhesives on less active materials such as plastics, high alloy steel, cadmium, anodised aluminium and passivated chrome.
The Pratley Pratlok® range of thread-locking anaerobic adhesives is ideal for various industries, from mining to automotive, industrial, agricultural, engineering and even DIY. Unlike other ordinary thread-lockers, the selection of the correct Pratlok® grade has been simplified and streamlined.
Instead of complex grade numbering that in many instances is hard to understand, the Pratley’s Pratlok® range is colour-coded for easy reference. The product name is also easy to comprehend as, for example, ‘Pratlok® Grade 0-6’ means that it is intended for use on screws up to 6 mm. This minimises risk and ensures that the correct grade is always selected.
“The Pratlok® range of adhesives was also the recipient of the Technology Top 100 Award a few years ago when they were launched. End users have peace of mind that the adhesive technology, performance and reliability of the range is second-to-none,” says Mark Bell, National Sales and Marketing Manager for Adhesives at Pratley.
The Pratley Pratlok® range consists of anaerobic adhesives that cure in the absence of oxygen. A single drop on a thread will begin curing within eight to 18 minutes once assembled, depending on the grade, with a full cure after a recommended 24 hours at room temperature.
“The Pratlok® range of adhesives was also the recipient of the Technology Top 100 Award a few years ago when they were launched. End users have peace of mind that the adhesive technology, performance and reliability of the range is second-to-none.” – Mark Bell, National Sales and Marketing Manager for Adhesives, Pratley
The full range of Pratlok® Thread-lockers includes:
Pratley Pratlok® Screw Lock Grade 0-6 is a low-strength thread locker, differentiated by a purple cap on the product. It is typically used for screws up to 6 mm. It prevents loosening due to vibration by sealing the thread and effectively retarding corrosion.
Pratley Pratlok® Nut Lock Grade 6-10 is a medium-strength thread locker, differentiated by a blue cap. It is typically used for M6-M10 nuts and bolts.
Pratley Pratlok® Stud Lock Grade 10-20 is a high-strength thread locker, differentiated by a white cap. It is typically used for M10-M20 studs, bolts, and threaded pipe fittings, and it allows for disassembly by applying heat.
Pratley Pratlok® Grade 20+ is a high-strength, high-viscosity thread locker for >M20 threads and flanged assemblies and gap filling, differentiated by a red cap.
Pratley Pratlok® Grade BRG, which has a green cap, is a medium- to high-strength low-viscosity grade for retaining bearings onto shafts, into housings or for bushes and other cylindrical close-tolerance assemblies.
Pratley Pratlok® Grade H-Temp, with an orange cap, is a high-temperature thread locker for temperatures up to 230°C.
Pratley Pratlok® Grade HYD, with a brown lid, is ideal for fine threads on hydraulic and pneumatic connections. It effectively replaces traditional sealing tapes and pastes.
Pratley Pratlok® Grade PEN, with a yellow cap, is an ultra-low viscosity thread locker for wicking into preassembled fasteners, press fits and knurls. It is also suitable for sealing microporosity in welds and castings.
Pratley Pratlok® thread-lockers are available in 50 g bottles for the industry and convenient 10 g bubble packs for DIY applications.
Visit www.pratleyadhesives.com for more information.
