The Pratley Pratlok range of thread-locking anaerobic adhesives is ideal for various industries, from mining to automotive, industrial, agricultural, engineering and even DIY.
To simplify the selection of the correct Pratlok grade, the labelling utilised for the range has been streamlined for ease of reference.
Applying Pratley Pratlok thread-locking anaerobic adhesive. Image credit: Pratley Adhesives
While thread-locking adhesives are an ideal solution to guard against the loosening of nuts and bolts, they also offer a longer-term solution to enhance the life of equipment and processes. Here are some handy tips and facts on their use:
- They are a type of adhesive that cure in the absence of oxygen, known as ‘anaerobic’.
- Thread-locking adhesives minimise vibration and prevent corrosion caused by moisture ingress.
- They set to form a thermoset plastic bond between nuts and bolts that is more durable than a nylon nut and can replace sealing tapes and pastes.
- Thread-locking adhesives can be supplied in lower strength grades that prevent loosening but allow disassembly with a simple hand tool.
- Various grades are available for specific use cases and applications.
- When it comes to locking devices, they reduce the likelihood of any accidents, minimise equipment maintenance and increase plant and product efficiency.
- An activator is suggested when using thread-locking adhesives on less active materials such as plastics, high alloy steel, cadmium, anodised aluminium and passivated chrome.
Instead of complex grade numbering that in many instances is hard to understand, the Pratley’s Pratlok range is colour-coded for easy reference. The product name is also easy to comprehend as, for example, ‘Pratlok Grade 0-6’ means that it is intended for use on screws up to 6mm. This minimises risk and ensures that the correct grade is always selected.
The Pratley Pratlok range has previously won the Technology Top 100 Award. Image credit: Pratley Adhesives
“The Pratlok range of adhesives was also the recipient of the Technology Top 100 Award a few years ago when they were launched. End users have peace of mind that the adhesive technology, performance and reliability of the range is second-to-none,” says Mark Bell, national sales and marketing manager for Adhesives at Pratley.
The Pratley Pratlok range consists of anaerobic adhesives that cure in the absence of oxygen. A single drop on a thread will begin curing within eight to 18 minutes once assembled, depending on the grade, with a full cure after a recommended 24 hours at room temperature.
The full range of Pratlok Thread-lockers includes:
- Pratley Pratlok Screw Lock Grade 0-6 is a low-strength thread locker, differentiated by a purple cap on the product. It is typically used for screws up to 6 mm. It prevents loosening due to vibration by sealing the thread and effectively retarding corrosion.
- Pratley Pratlok Nut Lock Grade 6-10 is a medium-strength thread locker, differentiated by a blue cap. It is typically used for M6-M10 nuts and bolts.
- Pratley Pratlok Stud Lock Grade 10-20 is a high-strength thread locker, differentiated by a white cap. It is typically used for M10-M20 studs, bolts, and threaded pipe fittings, and it allows for disassembly by applying heat.
- Pratley Pratlok Grade 20+ is a high-strength, high-viscosity thread locker for >M20 threads and flanged assemblies and gap filling, differentiated by a red cap.
- Pratley Pratlok Grade BRG, which has a green cap, is a medium- to high-strength low-viscosity grade for retaining bearings onto shafts, into housings or for bushes and other cylindrical close-tolerance assemblies.
- Pratley Pratlok Grade H-Temp, with an orange cap, is a high-temperature thread locker for temperatures up to 230°C.
- Pratley Pratlok Grade HYD, with a brown lid, is ideal for fine threads on hydraulic and pneumatic connections. It effectively replaces traditional sealing tapes and pastes.
- Pratley Pratlok Grade PEN, with a yellow cap, is an ultra-low viscosity thread locker for wicking into preassembled fasteners, press fits and knurls. It is also suitable for sealing microporosity in welds and castings.
- Pratley Pratlok thread-lockers are available in 50 g bottles for the industry and convenient 10g bubble packs for DIY applications.
Visit www.pratleyadhesives.com for more information.