New products can come from anywhere – formal meetings, lab discoveries, customer conversations, or even running into a colleague in the hallway.
The new 3M™ Adhesive Mix Monitor traces its origins to a conversation in the 3M Germany office between Benjamin Muenstermann, advanced research specialist, and Knut Schumacher, senior product development specialist.
Muenstermann was looking for input on a customer challenge with two-part adhesive dispensing. He wanted to know how they could, in real time, know that adhesive was being mixed correctly so they could improve first-pass quality, reduce scrap, and avoid the hidden cost of off-ratio dispensing. Schumacher realized that measurement expertise from an earlier project could provide that much-needed visibility and manufacturing confidence.
They quickly got to work on an early concept that eventually became the 3M Adhesive Mix Monitor.
A manufacturing challenge: ensuring mix quality during dispensing
In modern vehicles, two-part structural adhesives help bond roofs, doors and lightweight body panels made from steel, aluminum and composites. These materials are also used in electronics, medical devices and industrial equipment where strong, reliable bonds are critical. They are created by combining two components during dispensing, and their performance depends on those components being mixed as intended.
Even small deviations in mix ratio can affect bond strength and long-term reliability, yet the issue may not be visible when the adhesive is first dispensed. In some cases, it may only be discovered later, after parts have moved further down the production line or products are already in use
“Customers had been frustrated for years by the lack of a reliable way to verify mix quality during dispensing,” said Alissa Wenner, application engineering specialist in 3M’s Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division. “In one case shared with the team, improper mixing led to thousands of dollars’ worth of scrapped parts.”
From hallway conversation to practical solution
The 3M Adhesive Mix Monitor was developed to help address that challenge. The system evaluates mixed adhesive during dispensing and determines whether the ratio remains within defined limits. It translates that complex measurement into a simple visual indication for operators and provides engineers with time-stamped data for quality monitoring, traceability and troubleshooting.
Turning that idea into a product required far more than adhesive expertise alone. The challenge was not only finding a way to evaluate mix quality during dispensing but also translating that insight into a system that could work reliably in a manufacturing environment.
What began with a hallway conversation grew into a broader effort across 3M teams in Germany and the United States, drawing on expertise in science, electronics, software, mechanical design and application engineering.
“There are outstanding experts across 3M,” Schumacher said. “What makes a difference is being able to connect with them easily and work together to solve a real problem.”
FAQ
What is the 3M Adhesive Mix Monitor?
The 3M Adhesive Mix Monitor is a process-monitoring system designed for use with 3M two-part structural adhesives. It evaluates mixed adhesive in real time during dispensing to help manufacturers improve visibility into a quality process that can be difficult to monitor.
Why is monitoring mix quality important?
If the two adhesive components are not mixed correctly, the adhesive may not perform as intended. The problem may not be obvious right away and may only be discovered later, after defective parts have already been produced or a finished product is already in use.
How does the system work during dispensing?
The system uses a disposable sensor at the outlet of the static mixer to evaluate mixed adhesive in real time during dispensing. For operators, the result appears as a simple visual signal: green when the adhesive is within the defined dispense zone and red when it is not.
How does the system support manufacturing teams?
Operators receive immediate visual feedback during dispensing, and engineers can use time-stamped data from the system to support process monitoring, traceability and troubleshooting.
