Palram PALFOA - Manual (Page 6)

PALIGHT®
5
Adhesive Bonding of PALIGHT
General Information
PALIGHT material can readily be bonded to itself or other materials. Commercially available adhesives that are suitable for bonding
rigid PVC materials can be used for this purpose.
There are several considerations when choosing an adhesive:
1. The material to be bonded with PALIGHT
2. Strength required—structural vs. non-structural
3. Temperature range expected
4. Expansion/contraction
5. Ease of application methods, curing times
6. Cost effectiveness
7. Environmental and safety considerations—flammability, fumes, odors, etc.
Surface Preparation
In order to attain the optimum bond, the PALIGHT material surfaces to be bonded must be cleaned and degreased using a white
cloth soaked in isopropyl alchohol.
Selection of Adhesives
The selection of the proper adhesive for a project depends on the materials to be joined, as well as the end use and other considerations
mentioned previously. The following suggestions serve as general guidelines:
A. Bonding PALIGHT Material to PALIGHT Material
1. For edge bonding and joining parts made of PALIGHT material, use a PVC solvent such as (THF, MEK, cyclohexanone solvent
systems).
2. For bonding large areas: If using PVC solvent such as pipe cement, spread with notched trowel and work rapidly.
B. Bonding PALIGHT Material to Non-Porous Solid Material (such as PVC, other plastics or metal):
1. Contact adhesive with solvent:
a. Neoprene, nitrile, polyurethane or other synthetic rubber types.
b. Adhesive must be applied to both faces. Parallel beads of adhesive are often preferred because it allows evaporation of
solvent providing faster cure.
c. Use a slow setting adhesive, when bonding large areas. This allows for more time to properly install the panels prior to the
adhesive curing.
d. For bonding PALIGHT material to flexible PVC sheets, only plasticizer-resistant types of adhesives should be used.
C. Bonding PALIGHT Material to Porous Materials (such as paper, textiles, fabrics or wood).
1. Contact adhesive with solvent: Same systems as for non-porous materials.
2. Construction mastic, structural silicone adhesives.
Considerations such as expected temperature ranges (expansion/contraction), substrate and size of PALIGHT material panels should
be taken into consideration when deciding on a method of attachment.
Heat Bending
PALIGHT sheet material can be bent by using Calrods, radiant heaters, strip heaters or air-circulated ovens. Heat guns can also be used
on small areas. To ensure best results, a rheostat should be used to control heating of the PALIGHT so that the surface temperature
does not exceed 340 F. Heating PALIGHT material over 340 F can cause the surface to become rough and possibly discolor.
When using a metal contact strip heater, cover the heater strip with Teflon spray to prevent marking the PALIGHT. Different sizes of
rectangular heating bars can be used to produce bends of different radii. The larger the heated area of the PALIGHT, the larger the
radius that can be created. PALIGHT should be heated from both sides when the sheet is thicker than 4 mm. PALIGHT requires heating
at the rate of approximately 30 to 40 seconds per millimeter of thickness prior to bending.
To form tighter bends with smaller radii, use a small heated area on the upper surface (inside the bend) of the PALIGHT sheet and a
larger heated area on the bottom surface (on the outside of the bend) of the sheet. A minimum radius of twice the sheet thickness is
necessary to avoid breakage. When bending PALIGHT into an angle, typically the extension of the PALIGHT on either side of the angle
should be at least 20 times the thickness of the PALIGHT material.
For example, 6 mm (1/4”) PALIGHT would require the extension on each side to be 120 mm (4-3/4”) in order to avoid warping of the
material. For sides less than 20 times the material’s thickness, the entire sheet must be heated. Once the PALIGHT is bent, place it in a
fixture, such as a jig or clamp, to cool. Fans and/or compressed air will speed the cooling process.