In the world of 3D printing, completely new possibilities are opening up for the design and manufacture of components. One of these innovative techniques is the use of special adhesive slots and channels, which significantly improve the bonding of components and increase stability at the same time.
The basic idea is simple but effective: instead of coating the outer surfaces of the components with adhesive, grooves and indentations are integrated directly into the 3D model. These provide a significantly larger bonding surface and offer the adhesive ideal adhesion zones.
“The complex geometries made possible by 3D printing allow us to take full advantage of these benefits,” explains a 3D printing expert from Slant3D in a YouTube video. “Instead of a smooth surface, we create specific structures that optimize the bonding process.”
Depending on the requirements, the designs range from simple grooves along the outer edges to pronounced zigzag or spiral patterns. The latter even allow the adhesive to be fed through a central channel into the gaps after assembly – an enormous gain in efficiency.
But the innovative adhesive designs offer yet another advantage. They can also serve as reinforcement and compensate for the typically lower Z-axis strength of 3D printed parts. Similar to reinforcing steel, “adhesive struts” run through the core of the component and increase its stability enormously.
You can find out more about this method in the video:
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