Liquid Gaskets and CIPGs

Liquid gaskets are used in assemblies that cross all industrial sectors, including aerospace, medical, electronics, automotive, and appliance. Component configurations and substrate combinations are unlimited. Shorter runs of broader product varieties are being demanded by customers, but for obvious economic reasons, manufacturers’ inventories must be kept at lowest possible levels. For these reasons alone, manufacturers need gasket technology that provides the highest level of performance and greatest process flexibility.

Panacol-USA manufactures light curable Cure-In-Place (CIPG) gaskets that are designed to address manufacturers’ pressing demands. Those materials can be dispensed as a flowable liquid or non-migrating gel, exactly where a gasket is required, and then cured in seconds as part of a continuous in-line production process. Gaskets can be formed “on-the-spot” for the most complex component configurations. These liquid gasket materials are best dispensed from commercially available, programmable robotic equipment. This automation maximizes processing speed and ensures consistent gasket profile and cure. Adjustments for new product geometries can be made in minutes without the added costs and delays associated with new tooling (as required for pre-formed and die-cut gaskets).

Panacol-USA’s UV gasket technology produces sealants and gasket materials that adhere to the surfaces they are cured upon, allowing immediate handling and continuous production. If downstream gasket replacement becomes necessary, the gasket can be removed without difficulty. A range of gasket materials are available to meet desired functional performance. Typical cured properties include moisture resistance, low shrinkage, invulnerability to thermal cycling, high cohesive strength, and surfaces that range from tack-free to sticky (like a PSA). Compression sets are typically 10% or lower. These gaskets cure in seconds when exposed to UV/Visible light (320-400nm), with at least 50 mW/cm2 intensity.

Adhesive is applied as a cured-in-place-gasket to seal complex geometries