Electronics Bonding Adhesives Help Manufacturers Rework and Recycle Mobile Devices
St. Paul, Minn., April 2012 : In today’s mobile society, technology is evolving at an accelerated rate leaving consumers coveting the latest advancements and leaving outdated and unwanted electronic equipment ready for the landfill. This Earth Day, 3M is helping to increase rework, repair and recyclability of these gadgets through its Thermal Bonding Films and Plastic Bonding Adhesives.
The electronics bonding solutions from 3M enable manufacturers to achieve higher Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) criteria ratings by earning optional points for enabling greater rework and more effective recycling. EPEAT is a comprehensive global environmental registry that helps consumers, manufacturers and resellers identify environmentally preferable electronics.
According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, approximately three to four million tons of electronic equipment is recycled every year. 3M Thermal Bonding Films and Plastic Bonding Adhesives help make the process of dismantling the components more efficient when rework in manufacturing is required. In comparison to traditional dismantling processes that require the use of solvents, 3M electronics bonding solutions make rework easier, allowing manufacturers to fix damaged parts, salvage the device, reduce the amount of electronic waste and keep costs down.
“Consumers are upgrading their electronic devices at a much faster pace in the last five years and the need for electronics recycling has increased exponentially,” said Julie Liong, 3M electronics bonding solutions business development manager. “It is part of 3M’s DNA to identify how to help customers, like electronic manufacturers, find innovative new ways to remain competitive and decrease their environmental footprint.”
Here is how the electronics bonding solutions work. 3M Thermal Bonding Films are thermoplastic adhesives capable of achieving bonding strength beyond 1000 psi Overlap Shear Strength, which is more than strong enough to bond metal to plastic or metal to metal parts in laptop computers, mobile devices and other electronic components. Using heat, the electronic bonding films from 3M are easily disassembled for rework or recycling of individual material components of metals and plastics.
3M Plastic Bonding Adhesives are used in the external housing to bond the touch panel to metal or plastic chassis. They are moisture curing urethanes that are applied as liquids. Because they have sufficient open time to allow for easy assembly of parts, they are ideal for touch module assembly applications. Disassembly and rework are achievable with moderate heating (~80oC or 176oF) and pressure.
3M electronics bonding solutions is consistent with 3M’s longstanding commitment to sustainable development. For the eighth consecutive year, 3M received the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy for its comprehensive worldwide energy conservation efforts. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index continues to recognize 3M as a sustainability leader by including the company in its 2010-2011 global sustainability index. For more information about 3M’s sustainability initiatives visit http://www.3M.com/sustainability.
For more information regarding 3M electronics bonding solutions visit http://www.3M.com/electronicbonding.
About 3M
3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Our culture of creative collaboration inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that make life better. 3M is the innovation company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales, 3M employs 84,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 65 countries. For more information, visit http://www.3M.com or follow @3MNews on Twitter.
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