Retaining compounds—which are typically anaerobic adhesives—rely on contact with active metal ions to initiate and complete their cure. When working with different materials like aluminum, stainless steel, or passive substrates like plastics or carbon fiber, the curing process and resulting bond strength change significantly.
The main issue is that inactive metals (like anodized aluminum or stainless steel) or non-metals (like carbon fiber or plastic) slow down or stop the curing process entirely, leading to a weak or non-existent bond.
The Solution: A Highly Active and Reliable Compound
To successfully bond assemblies involving various metals—especially less active ones like aluminum—you need an ultra-high strength compound that is formulated for reliable curing across different metal substrates.
Incure WeldLock™ 330 Green Retaining Compound
For users facing challenges with material differences, particularly when working with less active metals or trying to bond steel into aluminum housings, we recommend the Incure WeldLock™ 330 Green Retaining Compound.
This product offers an extremely robust formulation that ensures maximum bond strength, even when the substrate is not ideally active or when tolerances are large, which is common in mixed-material assemblies.
| Key Feature | Benefit for Different Substrate Issues |
| Exceptional Strength (25 N/mm2) | The highest inherent strength compensates for a slower or less complete cure on mildly inactive metals (like aluminum). |
| Fast Fixture Time (5 minutes) | The rapid set time helps overcome the sluggish cure rate often seen on passive metals, locking the part quickly. |
| High Viscosity (2500 MPa⋅s) | The thick formula is excellent for assemblies with larger clearances that often result from bonding dissimilar materials (e.g., thermal expansion gaps). |
| Reliable on Various Metals | Formulated for robust performance on steel, brass, copper, and even less active metals like aluminum, providing a versatile solution. |
WeldLock™ 330 provides the most reliable and powerful bond, giving you confidence in assemblies with mixed or less-than-ideal metallic substrates.
Bonding Tips for Inactive and Non-Metallic Substrates
Achieving optimal performance with anaerobic compounds requires tailored techniques for different materials:
- Aluminum (Inactive Metal): Aluminum surfaces, especially anodized ones, can be passive. While WeldLock™ 330 will eventually cure, it may be slow. To ensure a fast, strong cure, lightly abrade the aluminum surface (to expose fresh metal) and consider using an anaerobic primer/activator before applying the compound.
- Steel (Active Metal): Steel is an active metal that promotes a fast cure. For steel-on-steel assemblies, WeldLock™ 330 will perform optimally and quickly.
- Non-Metals (Plastics/Carbon Fiber): Anaerobic compounds do not cure on non-metallic surfaces unless a primer is used. For bonding a metal component into a plastic or carbon fiber housing (e.g., bearing cups in a carbon frame), a specialized anaerobic primer must be used on the non-metal part to initiate the cure.
- Dissimilar Metals (e.g., Aluminum into Steel): In these cases, use the maximum gap-filling capacity and strength of WeldLock™ 330 to account for the different rates of thermal expansion that can stress the bond.
Solve Substrate Issues with Incure WeldLock™ 330 Green Retaining Compound