Here at Forgeway, we manufacture thousands of tonnes of industrial adhesives every year. Purok VX 61 is one of our most popular impact-resistant structural adhesives. We mainly supply it to industrial manufacturers in the transportation and automotive industries.
But we want to help you decide whether Purok VX 61 is a good fit for your application. That’s why we wrote this article. To give you an overall review of Purok VX 61.
We know what you’re thinking. As we manufacture the product, we are going to be biased and make the product sound better than it actually is.
However, we sent this article to a few of our customers who use the product daily. They helped us fact-check it. We have also included a section that goes over the disadvantages of Purok VX 61.
As industrial adhesive manufacturers, it’s in our best interest to supply you with the best option. We know Purok VX 61 may not always be the best fit for your application. But if it is a good fit, we know you will love it.
This article will help you decide whether it is a good fit or not. If you prefer to watch the review, view the video below.
Purok VX 61 is a methyl methacrylate-based structural adhesive. It is designed for applications where you require a structural adhesive with impact resistance. It comes in a 10:1 mix ratio and is available in 50ml, 250ml or 490ml cartridges. It is also available in bulk.
You can get three variations of Purok VX 61; VX 61-15, VX 61-40, and VX 61-90. The number after the ’61’ refers to the fixture time. This indicates how long it takes (in minutes) to reach handling strength. For example, VX 61-15 takes 15 minutes to reach 0.3 MPa, aka handling strength.
You now know the definition of Purok VX 61. But why would you choose it over any other impact-resistant structural adhesive? This section will help you come to that conclusion.
Having an overlap shear strength of 21 mpa means Purok VX 61 comfortably qualifies as a structural adhesive. An adhesive with a strength of more than 15 mpa would qualify as structural.
This strength means you will not have to worry about heavy structures being held in place. Most people look at the strength of an adhesive to assess whether it is a good option. The strength of Purok VX 61 is not something you need to worry about.
As we have already mentioned, Purok VX 61 comes in three variations. However, all three variations have one thing in common; they are fast curing.
Purok VX 61 15 is the fastest curing. It can reach handling strength in 15 minutes. However, if you prefer a slightly slower cure time, VX 61 40 will still cure fast but will give you more working time. And if you need even longer, VX 61 90 will give you more time to get everything in place.
The fast cure time allows you to speed up production. For example, if you are bonding cappings onto a caravan, Purok VX 61 15 will give you the ability to move on to the next step of production within 15 minutes.
Having a fast-curing adhesive can help you increase the throughput of your production.
Another way you can speed up production is by removing a step in the bonding process. Some impact-resistant structural adhesives will require you to prepare the surface before bonding to achieve maximum strength.
Purok VX 61 does not require any surface preparation to achieve a strong bond. You will only need to wipe the surface of any dirt or contamination. You don’t need to abrade the surface or use a primer for Purok VX 61 to bond effectively.
Surface preparation can be time-consuming. So, Purok VX 61 will (once again) help you speed up the production process and maximise throughput.
An elongation at break score of 11% means Purok VX 61 will be able to withstand impact. This flex means stresses and vibrations will be transferred to the adhesive rather than through the substrate.
So if you need a very high-strength adhesive for a bond that will experience movement, you will need the adhesive to be impact resistant. As long as the movement isn’t severe, Purok VX 61 will be able to absorb the impact.
During testing, we found that Purok VX 61 was able to resist a wide variety of chemicals. This means you don’t need to worry about the integrity of the bond breaking down if it is likely to experience exposure to chemicals.
Chemical resistance is particularly handy if you know the adhesive is going to face exposure to chemicals. It gives you the assurance that the bond won’t break down. However, we always recommend testing the adhesive with the exact chemical (if you can) before using it in your application.
Technical data sheets don’t tell the full picture of an adhesive product. So what about the drawbacks of Purok VX 61 that aren’t on the datasheet? This section will help you get the full picture of using Purok VX 61.
As with most methyl methacrylate adhesives, Purok VX 61’s odour isn’t very pleasant. Whilst some people enjoy the smell, others can find it very difficult to work with. It could be a deal-breaker for some people.
So, before using Purok VX 61, make sure all operatives are comfortable with the smell. If you are using large quantities, you can fit ventilation and extraction systems to help deal with the smell.
Sometimes, you need an adhesive to hold itself in place while it cures. This will mean you don’t need to use clamps or mechanical fastenings to hold the substrates in place.
Sometimes, companies will use a combination of adhesives to get the desired result. For example, the cappings on a caravan need a fast-curing adhesive to reach handling strength as soon as possible.
But the adhesive also needs to have high grab to hold the cappings in place while it cures. The solution is to use a combination of an MS polymer adhesive (like Formoa 017FE) and Purok VX 61.
The MS polymer adhesive has high grab to hold itself in place, and Purok VX 61 will cure fast so it can reach handling strength quickly.
In summary, Purok VX 61 doesn’t have high grab which can prove a problem sometimes. However, there is always a solution to this problem. You may just have to think outside the box.
When the chemical reaction occurs to start the curing process, Purok VX 61 lets off heat. Whilst this heat isn’t a problem when using small amounts of the product, it can be a problem if you are using Purok VX 61 in large quantities.
The adhesive can exotherm to the point that it starts to smoke and boil. However, this just means you need to ensure the application doesn’t require a thick bondline. If it does, a methyl methacrylate product (like VX 61) may not be the best adhesive for you
When buying large quantities of Purok VX 61, you will likely be buying it in 490ml cartridges. You will also need to have pneumatic applicators for ease of use. But 490ml pneumatic applicators are expensive as they are specialist.
You also need to remember that operatives will need training on how to use the product as it is two-component and requires this specialist applicator.
Now you know a little more about Purok VX 61, it’s time to decide whether it is a good fit for your application. You know what it is and you know the benefits and drawbacks, but it’s still not easy to make that decision.
Here at Forgeway, we manufacture industrial adhesives. We help companies like yours choose the right industrial adhesive for their application. But we know it’s never easy.
If you need an impact-resistant structural adhesive we think Purok VX 61 will be a good fit for you. The adjustable speed of cure and the lack of surface preparation required can help speed up your production line and increase throughput.
However, if you aren’t a fan of the smell and need the adhesive to have some grab, Purok VX 61 may not be a good fit for you. We know that there are plenty of other structural adhesive products out there that can help you with your application.
You can download the technical datasheet of Purok VX 61 here.
If you are not sure what to do next, you can read our article which explains the steps you should take when choosing an adhesive. Or, if you would prefer the help of an expert, you can get in touch with a member of our team who would be happy to help.