Advantage 160 is a two-component crosslinking polyvinyl acetate emulsion adhesive developed specifically for finger jointing; but performs well in laminating and edge gluing. When mixed with Catalyst A it exceeds the requirements for ASTM D-5572 wet use for finger joints in non-structural lumber products as well the European DIN EN 204 D4. This adhesive has a shear thinning rheology for easy extrudability and a low minimum use temperature allowing it to be used over a wide application range.
• Excellent for finger jointing and extrusion applications • Good for radio frequency gluing as well as hot press and cold press operations • Low VOCs • High water-resistance • Low minimum use temperature • Translucent to clear glue line • Meets the definition of NAF for CARB and TSCA Title VI
Advantage 160 with 6% Catalyst A • European E-1 formaldehyde emission standard • Exceeds ASTM D-5572-99 Wet Use for Finger joints in Non-structural Lumber Products • Exceeds DIN EN 204 D4 Classification of Thermoplastic Wood Adhesives for Non-structural Applications
Like all adhesives, proper gluing practices are needed to achieve stated performance.
The recommended proportion of catalyst to resin is five percent by volume or six percent by weight. Place the resin in a mixer and slowly add catalyst under agitation. Continue mixing for five to ten minutes after the catalyst is added to ensure a homogeneous mixture. A smaller amount of catalyst can be used under certain conditions (such as burning in a radio frequency press), but water resistance performance should be validated. It is best to mix the catalyzed material if it has been kept for longer than seven to eight hours since it will increase in viscosity with time.
Moisture content: Six to eight percent is the recommended moisture content for the gluing stock. High moisture content will dramatically increase the clamp time needed. Panel shrinkage may occur resulting in stress cracks or end-joint delamination. Stock preparation: The preparation of the stock to be glued is extremely important. Joints cut from rip saws should be free of saw marks. They should also be straight and square. Moulded or jointed stock should be free of knife marks. Glazed or burnished joints will prevent adhesive penetration and should be guarded against. Gluing stock should be uniform in thickness. Variation in thickness should not exceed ± 0.005 inches/0.12 mm. Sanding to thickness should be performed using higher than 50 grit abrasives. When possible, glue joints should be prepared and glued the same day. Spread: Generally, 35-50 pounds of adhesive per 1,000 square feet or 170-250 grams per square meter of glue line is adequate. Verify adequate glue coverage by monitoring for squeeze out along the glue line once the panels are under pressure. A Web-based spread calculator can be found at www.franklinadhesivesandpolymers.com. Pressure: Pressure is dependent upon the species or material to be glued and joint preparation. Direct contact of the gluing surfaces is required to obtain maximum strength. The use of a compressometer will aid in accurately measuring the amount of pressure being applied to the gluing area. Suggested clamp locations for various wood densities are eight to fifteen inches (20-38 cm) apart and two inches (five cm) from the end of the panel to evenly distribute pressure along the entire length of the glue line. A Web-based pressure calculator can be found at www.franklinadhesivesandpolymers.com. Assembly time: The assembly time is influenced by many factors some of which include glue spread, moisture content of the stock, porosity of the stock, environmental conditions and adhesive choice. Assembly times of five to ten minutes are approximate. It is desirable to see a bead of adhesive squeeze out around the perimeter of the bottom panel of the stack. 70ºF and 50% relative humidity, approximately 6 wet mils: Open Assembly Time – 5 minutes Total Assembly Time – 20 minutes
Press/clamp time: Press times are dependent on the adhesive used, gluing stock type, moisture content of the stock, and environmental conditions. Press times can range from a minimum press time of 30 minutes to greater than two hours. Shorter times are required under ideal conditions when using soft wood species at moisture content slightly less than eight to ten percent and factory temperatures of 68 degrees Fahrenheit/ twenty degrees Celsius. Longer press times will be required for higher density species, higher moisture contents and colder factory temperatures. It is recommended that optimum press times be determined in actual plant conditions recognizing that seasonal changes may lead to variable requirements. Machining/ post process conditioning: After the minimum clamping time period, the panel will develop enough handling strength and can be removed and stacked out of the press. Twenty-four hours of cure is recommended before further machining. Three or four days may be required to eliminate sunken joints caused by residual moisture in the glue line. Minimum use temperature: Curing temperatures should be higher than the minimum use temperature of the adhesive. This includes the temperature of the stock to be glued as well as the air and adhesive temperatures. If the temperatures are below the minimum use temperatures you will see a white, chalky appearance of the glueline. These bonds are usually weak. Clean-up: For easy removal of adhesive from equipment, clean up while it is still wet with warm water (this includes the glue roller and pans). For dried glue, steam and or hot water are the most effective. Using glue release agents on equipment will also allow for easier clean up. RF cure time: Radio frequency cure times will vary from machine to machine. Machine manufacturers suggest that machines will cure between 75 and 100 square inches of glue line per minute per kilowatt. Glue joints should feel warm immediately after the cure cycle. Cure times should be determined through plant trials. Hot press time: Press time is dependent on the adhesive used, gluing stock type, moisture content of the stock and environmental conditions. This hot press schedule is provided as a recommended starting point. In plant testing is recommended especially for temperatures and substrate thicknesses beyond this chart. Finger joint cutter-heads: Knife stack/set - be sure to check overall knife stack for accuracy. Keep cutter-heads in pairs and properly cleaned. Cutter-heads should be sharpened as a set. Knife set should cut only 0.25 mm or 0.010 inches to 0.75 mm or 0.030 inches of wood. Finger joint assembly: End pressure should be set to provide 14.0 kg/cm² - 35.0 kg/cm² or 200 - 500 psi pressure for non-structural joints. Crowder wheels should be aligned to match fingers accurately. Finger joint adhesive application: Sufficient adhesive spread will provide a uniform coverage that should cover one-half to two-thirds the length of the finger on both sides in a thin continuous film. Make sure fingers aren't skipped and that the adhesive is applied to the whole joint, not just the tips of the fingers. Too much adhesive can cause a hydraulic effect.
Shelf life: Best if used within six months of date of manufacture. Mix before use for best results. Product may need filtered in warmer temperatures; contact Franklin Technical Support for easy filtering options. Product is freeze thaw stable but may need to be mixed prior to use. For additional questions, Franklin’s technical service team is available at 1.800.877.4583. 24/7 technical service is available online at www.franklinadhesivesandpolymers.com.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CUSTOMER: The recommendations and data contained in this Product Data Sheet for use of this product are based on information Franklin believes to be reliable. They are offered in good faith without guarantee, as conditions and methods of use of our product by Customer are beyond Franklin’s control. Customer must determine the suitability of the product for a particular application before adopting it on a commercial scale. Discoloration and checking of wood veneer materials may occur with use of the product. These occurrences range in appearance, color and may also vary depending upon the species of wood veneer to which the product is applied. Such discoloration and checking may appear during or after the manufacturing process which utilizes the product. Environmental conditions in some manufacturing plants and end-use locations can contribute to discoloration and checking. Because such discoloration and checking are attributable to conditions beyond Franklin’s control, Franklin cannot assume any responsibility or liability for any discoloration and/or checking problems that might occur. All orders for Franklin products shall be subject to Franklin International, Inc.’s Standard Terms and Conditions of Sale which may be found at http://www.franklini.com/Terms_and_Conditions.aspx (“Standard Terms”). Different or additional terms proposed by Customer are expressly rejected and shall not become part of the agreement between Customer and Franklin International, Inc. with respect to any order. Contact Franklin International, Inc. immediately if you cannot access our Standard Terms and we will provide you a copy upon request. Any sale of products by Franklin to Customer is expressly conditional upon Customer’s consent to the Standard Terms, and Customer’s acceptance of any performance by, or receipt of products from, Franklin International, Inc. shall constitute Customer’s acceptance of the Standard Terms and Conditions of Sale. © Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Franklin International. Revised 12/05/2022.