Advertise on podcast: Bonding with ASI

Laboratory testing can measure tack, peel and shear, but it cannot fully replicate the complexity of human skin. Miguel Solivan of Avery Dennison Medical explains how on-body wear studies evaluate medical adhesives under real-world conditions, including movement, perspiration, device knockoffs, residue, pain and adhesive creep. He also explains why realistic device prototypes and statistically relevant testing are critical before an adhesive can be validated for its intended use.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives can offer manufacturers advantages that extend far beyond bond strength. Riley Docherty of Avery Dennison Performance Tapes explains how PSAs can reduce operator training, eliminate cure time, increase throughput and reduce waste compared with some liquid adhesive processes. He also discusses how manufacturers should evaluate PSAs, liquid adhesives and mechanical fasteners, and why waiting until late in product development to consider adhesive selection can become a costly “Band-Aid” approach.

Adhesives and sealants manufacturers rely on experienced operators to make countless production decisions that are rarely documented in standard operating procedures. In this episode of Bonding With ASI, Kence Anderson, founder and CEO of AMESA, explains how manufacturers can capture decades of process knowledge, preserve critical expertise before experienced employees retire, and transform operator experience into repeatable manufacturing intelligence. The conversation explores institutional knowledge, operator expertise and how AI can help adhesives and sealants manufacturers protect one of their most valuable assets: their people.

EV battery packs combine metals, plastics, foams, silicone and other materials that must remain bonded through years of thermal cycling, vibration and expansion. Max VanRaaphorst of Avery Dennison explains how pressure-sensitive adhesives are engineered for these demanding surfaces and why silicone presents a particularly difficult bonding challenge. He also discusses surface preparation, accelerated aging and how adhesive suppliers work with OEMs to develop specifications for emerging battery applications.

Silicone offers exceptional flexibility, durability and chemical resistance, but those same properties make it one of the most difficult materials to bond. In this episode, Bonaventure Mutuku of Boston Industrial Solutions explains the chemistry behind silicone's low surface energy, why traditional bonding methods often fall short and how manufacturers have approached the challenge over the years. He also discusses the testing and validation required to ensure long-term bond durability in demanding industrial applications.

Adhesive and sealant manufacturing plants present unique walking-surface challenges as mixing operations, material transfers, washdowns and routine production can quickly change floor conditions. In this episode, Scott Sargent, vice president of sales and marketing at SlipNOT, explains why slips often occur when surfaces change unexpectedly rather than when they remain consistently wet or slippery. He discusses common trouble spots throughout formulation facilities, the limitations of temporary slip-resistant products, and why manufacturers should evaluate walking surfaces as part of facility design rather than after an incident occurs. Sargent also shares practical insights on improving worker safety while reducing downtime, maintenance and long-term operating costs.

Brian Asik of Custom Fabricating & Supplies (CFS), discusses how custom converting helps manufacturers solve complex bonding and assembly challenges, the trends shaping the converting and adhesives markets, and how the company is working with customers to develop innovative solutions for today's manufacturing environment. Brian is senior vice president of CFS. In this role, he is responsible for directing sales, product development, and manufacturing operations.

Medical wearables are requiring adhesives to remain attached longer while managing moisture, movement, skin compatibility and sustainability. Karen Parker, editor of ASI, discusses new research examining how caddisflies produce adhesive silk underwater and how MIT engineers created a breathable hydrogel using interconnected microscopic air channels. The studies point to different approaches researchers are exploring to develop medical adhesives that can perform in wet, biological environments without sacrificing other critical properties. Sponsored by:

Adhesives and sealants manufacturers often face long cash conversion cycles, purchasing raw materials months before finished products are shipped and customer payments arrive. In this episode of Bonding With ASI, Cole Reifler, founder and CEO of Zenith Group Advisors, discusses how supply chain finance can help manufacturers improve cash flow, strengthen supplier relationships and better manage inventory during periods of tariff uncertainty and supply chain disruption. The conversation explores working capital strategies, inventory planning and practical financial tools that can help adhesives and sealants manufacturers invest in growth while maintaining production continuity.

In this issue of Bonding with ASI, we chat with Katie Williamson, founder and CEO of Unspent, a company transforming spent coffee grounds into high-performance, bio-based materials. Katie explains the development of COPOXEE, a renewable plasticizer made from coffee waste, the technology behind converting an everyday waste stream into a valuable industrial material, and the potential applications for this innovation across plastics, adhesives, coatings, sealants, and other advanced materials.

Maintaining consistent product quality requires adhesives and sealants manufacturers to manage countless process variables, from viscosity and raw material variation to environmental conditions and quality testing. In this episode of Bonding With ASI, Kence Anderson explains how simulation, digital twins and AI are helping manufacturers improve process control, support operator decision-making and produce more consistent results across the plant floor. The discussion explores practical applications of AI for adhesives and sealants manufacturing, while emphasizing that experienced operators remain central to successful production.

Successful adhesives and sealants manufacturing depends on more than formulations and production equipment; it depends on the people leading teams on the plant floor. In this episode of Bonding With ASI, former Army Apache pilot, aerospace manufacturing leader and leadership consultant Craig Coyle discusses how frontline leadership, communication and shared purpose improve quality, engagement and operational performance. Whether you're producing adhesives and sealants, specialty chemicals or advanced materials, the leadership principles behind consistent manufacturing remain the same.

This episode explores research into a reversible conductive adhesive for electronics recycling, freshwater mussel-inspired medical adhesives, and sustainable biomimetic materials inspired by mussels and mistletoe.

Women in Chemicals is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting and advancing women in the chemical industry. Karen Parker sat down with cofounders of the organization, Amelia Greene and Kylie Wittl, and the conference chair for the organization’s annual conference, Stephanie Folkmire, to discuss the organization, its purpose, and what the future holds for this growing organization.

Listen to our discussion with Dr Krystelle Mafina PhD on how analysis techniques can streamline production. Find out how improving hot-melt analysis, curing processes and other common formulation challenges can significantly advance your business now and in the future. Sponsored by: PerkinElmer