Based in Eagleville, PA, Streamlight Inc. manufactures rugged flashlights and safety lights for use by firefighters, police officers and the military.
As it was developing its high-intensity discharge LiteBox and Survivor series flashlights, the company decided to strengthen the lights' lenses and reflector housings by applying a sealant to bond the parts together.
The goal was to assemble the flashlights in such a way that they could withstand rough handling and extreme conditions in the field, such as those found in search-and-rescue situations.
To bond the glass lens to the reflector housing, Streamlight went with Multi-Cure 621-T adhesive manufactured by bonding materials and equipment manufacturer Dymax Corp. Streamlight chose the material because of its fast curing times, its ability to adhere dissimilar materials and its excellent adhesion properties.
During production, the lens and reflector housing are first placed into a small rotary dispensing system, where the Multi-Cure 621-T adhesive is applied via a stationary valve in a uniform bead along the bond line.
The parts are then assembled and exposed to UV-visible light via a 2000-EC flood lamp, also supplied by Dymax. The adhesive's rapid cure time means the bonded parts can be immediately moved to the next step in the manufacturing process after the parts have been removed from the lamp.
For more information on adhesives and light-cure equipment, call 877-396-2988 or visitwww.dymax.com.
