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Recommendations of adhesives for use with sensors
Question: I want to mount sensors onto a latex glove, to be worn by a doctor doing palpating. Is there an adhesive which will not damage the sensor or the latex? Also, the fingertip will be larger than the sensing area, so a puck will have to be used to ensure that I am measuring all of the applied force. What do you recommend for pucks?
Answer: Using a puck to ensure proper loading of the sensing area is a good idea, but the material depends on your application. Please see:
What is a puck/shim and do I need to use it?
There are several approaches to adhere a sensor to a surface. The first is to secure the perimeter of the sensor with conventional cellophane tape. The idea is to hold the sensor firmly in place, but still allow the active region a bit of opportunity to move or "settle in" to a preferred location as mating parts join. Because tape used to secure the sensor adds to the thickness, it should NOT be placed over the active region. It should be applied so its thickness does not affect the measurement.
A second choice is to use double-sided tape. Double-sided tape is easy to handle and can be trimmed to exactly the area of interest. Care should be taken with tape to ensure that the thickness under the active region of the sensor is uniform. There should be no gaps without tape or joints or seams where the tape overlaps. Double-sided tape is available in various tacks or amounts of grip. It is also available in widths to accommodate many applications. The presence of double sided tape on the active region change the surfaces that bear on the sensor, so it is advantageous to calibrate the sensor with the tape in place.
Use of spray adhesive has the advantage that it can form a thin layer without overlaps or gaps. Here are several candidate sprays to consider.
From 3M Industrial Tape & Specialties, St. Paul MN 55144-1000
Ordering Tel: 612-733-1100 Tech Support Tel: 800-362-3550.
Product Model Number Comments
3M Super 72 62-4694-4930-0 Rated 8 Lb/In2, 24 oz spray can
3M Super 77 62-4437-4930-4 Rated 15 Lb/In2, 24 oz spray can
3M Super 90 62-4683-4930-3 Rated 25 Lb/In2, 24 oz spray can
Tool Mates Industrial Adhesive from AERVOE INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED 1198 Mark Circle l Gardnerville, Nevada 89410 Phone: 1-800-227-0196 Fax: 1-775-782-4027 Email: mailbox@aervoe.com Web site: www.aervoe.com This spray has high tack, but should be carefully applied, because it can form an uneven layer.
Sure Tack Gasket Sealant, Part Number 22108 Extra tacky gasket spray adhesive from ITW Consumer- 2107 W. Blue Heron Blvd. Riviera Beach, FL 3340. Phone (561) 845-2425 or (800) 327-6880. Email: info@itwconsumer.com. This spray has high tack, and is intended for use in automobile engine flanges where grease, oil or gasoline may be present. The adhesive is very good, but over-spray is difficult to clean up. Familiar "red" color insures uniform coverage. Tacky film never hardens to insure proper gasket position and alignment. For use with paper, cork, metal, rubber and asbestos gaskets.
When water or other liquids are involved in the measurement, it may be desirable to achieve a Perimeter Seal around the Sensor. Please recall that Tekscan sensors are fabricated from two thin sheets of polyester sheet, joined by an adhesive. For production reasons, the adhesive must be screen printable. The production adhesive is reported to result in an open cell foam that provides an adequate barrier to water for an hour or two, but eventually water will wick or penetrate through it. Adding a thin layer of adhesive around the perimeter may protect the sensor from water incursion. Users report that adhesives used to seal aquarium tanks both stand up to water and have grip on polyester sheet.