EAS English

The Dutch Glue Specialist training courses have been successfully conducted since January 2011. The training is intended for managers, engineers and quality employees in the adhesive processing industry and for employees involved in the production and sale of adhesive products.

European Adhesive Specialist

Purpose of the training
The participants are trained in the use of adhesive techniques in an industrial production environment and in product development. After successful completion of this training, the participants are able to draw up work instructions and lead executive activities, assisting the professionals in technical and practical aspects. They are also able to develop, organize and monitor gluing processes, as well as to monitor and adjust process parameters if necessary. They are able to detect deviations in a production process and then respond correctly.


Duration of training and examination
The Glue Specialist training is full-time and lasts 120 hours, including exam. To support the learning process, the theory is alternated with practical exercises. A written test is taken three times during the course. Subsequently, the practical and oral exam will take place in the last period.


Target group and conditions for participation
The target group includes employees of glue-processing or glue-producing companies. The training has been developed in particular for the bonding of metals, elastomers, plastics, fiber-reinforced plastics and glass and is aimed at managers in the manufacturing industry. Engineers, quality employees and commercial employees with a higher education and managerial responsibilities, who want to increase their knowledge in the field of adhesive technology, also belong to the target group. Participants must have a good command of the English language, so that they understand the training material well and are also able to take the exams. Previous education at MBO level 4 in a technical discipline is required, as well as an age of at least 20 years and 2 years of work experience. However, a higher vocational education in mechanical engineering or chemistry is desirable.


Training content


Basic concepts The training starts with the treatment of basic concepts in gluing technology. The advantages and limitations of adhesive connections are mentioned, compared to other connection techniques. The integrity of an adhesive bond is explained using the conceptual model of bonding forces. The factors influencing the quality of the adhesive bond are also explained. The main theme is: the importance of wettability in bonding processes and how this can be influenced. Participants build up knowledge about the fundamental aspects of the properties of adhesives and adhesive bonds.


Glue types
There are thousands of different adhesive products. The product range go’s from elastically soft Polyurethanes to high-strength Epoxies. In this part of the training, participants are familiarized with the most important adhesive types used in the industry, as well as their properties and areas of application. Emphasis is placed on the importance of applying these different adhesive types correctly, under the correct curing conditions. These aspects are further substantiated by means of practical exercises.


Glue parts
The training provides the participants with knowledge and insight into the structure and behavior of various adhesive part materials, under mechanical load and conditions of use. This helps to estimate the deformation behavior of adhesive layers and leads to a better understanding of the need to perform material-specific surface treatments.


Surface treatment Appropriate surface treatment is of the utmost importance for a good, durable and, in particular, reproducible adhesive bond. The course introduces surface techniques commonly performed by craftsmen as part of the adhesive bonding process. Practical experiments give the participants the necessary experience in the application of gluing techniques on different materials/glue parts. The topics to be covered include cleaning the adhesive part surface, via mechanical, physical and chemical surface preparation methods, up to the use of primers and adhesion promoters.


Properties of the adhesive layer In order to assess whether an adhesive is suitable for a specific application, it is necessary to gain insight into the deformation behavior under certain circumstances. Or, in other words, the factors that determine the deformation behavior and indicate the limits for the use of a particular adhesive system. Fillers and absorbed moisture influence the deformation behavior just as much as the temperature and thickness of the adhesive layer.


Measurement methods The quality of an adhesive bond is determined by many more factors than just high strength after curing. Other factors that are just as important are reproducibility and durability. The need to use destructive testing to determine the quality of the adhesive bond is demonstrated with the help of test pieces, which the participants make themselves during the training. The limitations in translating the measurement results from standardized tests to real adhesive parts are made clear.


Occupational health and environment
“Ignorance” is the leading cause of workplace accidents. Correct handling of adhesive systems requires extensive fundamental knowledge of the specific hazards associated with working with these substances. This does not only concern the adhesive (components), but also the other substances used in the adhesive process, such as cleaning agents, primers and adhesion promoters. In addition, the importance of the use of protective equipment and PPE is emphasized.