Palm Labs Adhesives designs and packages threadlockers in color coded bottles with applicator brushes and tips to make dispensing quick, clean and easy. Purple is designed for screws up to ¼” in diameter and is a low strength removable grade. Blue is a medium strength threadlocker, it is removable, and it is generally suitable for bolts up to ¾” in diameter. Red is high strength threadlocker and is a permanent adhesive designed for bolts up 1 ½” in diameter. Green is a wicking grade adhesive also known as retaining compound and are formulated to increase the strength of non-threaded cylindrical applications.
Retaining compounds have become a standard method for assembling slip and press fit assemblies such as bonding shaft bearings rather than using press fits, shrink fits, or expensive locknuts. The adhesive prevents lateral movement and protects the joint from corrosion. It can also eliminate locknuts from the assembly, reducing weight and inventory. Retaining compounds also improve performance due to the increased surface contact between the shaft and the bearing.
Adhesives applied on clean surfaces yield the best results, although surface insensitive formulations by Palm Labs Adhesives have overcome many of the issues related to surface contamination. Surface insensitive formulations also work well on plated and anodized surfaces.