What Are Equivalents and Why Should You Use Them?

What Are Equivalents and Why Should You Use Them?

Some product managers and engineers may feel as though it’s not possible to stray away from their Qualified Products List (QPL). Yet, this can create significant problems when those products have less than desirable properties or are difficult to source because of international supply chain disruptions. Instead, consider the use of adhesive equivalents.

What Are Equivalents?

An adhesive equivalent is a product that offers equivalent (or better) performance and properties as a well-known, industry standard product. It’s similar to the idea of swapping out hardwood flooring in favor of engineered wood-look flooring: They both get the job done, but the engineered flooring actually offers better performance in some areas, like water and impact resistance.

Similarly, adhesive equivalents offer the same or nearly the same properties and characteristics. They meet or exceed industry standards and performance expectations. In some cases, these equivalents may even be safer to use. (As an example, the Cytec HT-424® contains asbestos, whereas Mako Advanced Materials’ AF-1424 equivalent does not.)

You may notice that the word “equivalent” is sometimes exchanged for the words “offset” or “alternate.” These terms are used interchangeably, and they mean the same thing.

Are Offsets Commonly Used?

Yes. Equivalents, also known as offsets or alternates, are commonly used across industries and for a vast range of applications. Some of the industries that commonly use adhesive offsets include:

• Aerospace and space
• Automotive and motorsports
• Marine
• Medical
• Military and defense
• Sporting goods

Is It Acceptable to Replace a Product With an Offset?

It’s not only acceptable to replace a particular adhesive product with an equivalent, but it’s frequently a good idea to do so. Offsets offer the same or better properties and characteristics. They meet or exceed industry standards. Plus, sourcing them is more reliable when you work with a U.S.-based epoxy resin company with an onshore supply chain.

Exploring Mako’s Line of Adhesive Alternates

Mako Advanced Materials is an industry leader in epoxy technologies. A few of the reasons why our clients across industries choose our equivalents include:

Made in the U.S.

All of our adhesive offsets are proudly developed, manufactured, and distributed in the U.S. Based in Henderson, NV, Mako works with companies in varied industries across the country. Thanks to our onshore supply chain, we offer steady availability of our products, without concern for international supply chain disruptions.

PFAS-Free

Environmental safety is important to us, and our team is pleased to bring our innovative, safety-minded approach to our formulations. All of our adhesive equivalents are PFAS-free.

Meet or Exceed Industry Standards

Every time we formulate a new equivalent, our team maintains a laser focus on meeting or exceeding industry standards, whether those be federal requirements or industry requirements. When you add our offsets to your QPL, you can trust that the products you receive will always perform as expected.

Streamlined Fulfillment and Response

We understand that you operate on a tight schedule. Delays and disruptions can throw a project off track and negatively affect your revenue. We respect your business and your work, and that’s why Mako offers rapid order fulfillment, as well as rapid responses to all customer service inquiries—from custom formulation inquiries to questions about application techniques and beyond.

Our Equivalents

In addition to the following categories of offsets, Mako Advanced Materials is pleased to offer custom formulations to our valued customers. If you need a specialized adhesive custom-made to meet your specifications, our team is up to the challenge.

Adhesive Paste

Our tough and versatile adhesive paste (AP) products withstand harsh environments, and provide excellent impact and water resistance. From the AP-120 (with superior fatigue resistance) to the AP-125 (adheres to a wide range of substrates, including wood) to the AP-160 (offers a 60-minute work time), our adhesive pastes are designed to exceed your expectations.

Specialty Compounds

The MakoBond Compound-40 (C-40) is exceptionally well-suited to aerospace applications. This flame-retardant epoxy compound excels at resisting the effects of water and chemicals.

Adhesive Film

Mako’s Adhesive Film 1424 (AF-1424) is an ideal equivalent to the Cytec HT-424®. Unlike the original, our AF-1424 does not contain asbestos, nor does it have a strong phenolic odor.

These are just a few examples of the adhesive equivalents you can use when you partner with Mako Advanced Materials. Our team also formulates laminate resin offsets and infusion resins.

Contact Our Technical Sales Team Today

Here at Mako Advanced Materials, we focus on bringing a collaborative and consultative approach to customer service. Keeping your needs at the center of all we do, our technical sales team members will get to know your unique application requirements before offering recommendations for adhesive offsets that will meet or exceed your expectations.

Contact our knowledgeable technical sales team today to request more information.