| Adhesive Chemistry | Confirm whether the product is a one-component or two-component epoxy system and whether it matches the substrates. | Two-component systems normally require controlled resin-to-hardener mixing; one-component systems generally require heat or another defined curing condition. | Technical Data Sheet (TDS), formulation description, mixing instructions, and application limitations. | The wrong chemistry can cause poor wetting, incomplete cure, brittle bonds, or inconsistent production results. |
| Bonding Substrates | Check compatibility with metals, glass, ceramics, plastics, composites, painted surfaces, or treated materials. | Require test results on the exact substrate grades and surface preparation used in the buyer’s production process. | Substrate-specific lap-shear data, surface-preparation instructions, and sample test reports. | Published strength on a different material may not predict performance in the final assembly. |
| Cure Schedule | Review working time, fixture time, full-cure time, and required temperature. | The stated cure schedule should be validated at the buyer’s actual bond-line thickness, temperature, humidity, and production speed. | TDS, cure curve, recommended process window, and batch test records. | Cure requirements affect factory throughput, energy use, equipment selection, and defect rates. |
| Viscosity and Application | Check whether the viscosity suits manual dispensing, automated metering, screen application, injection, or gap filling. | The viscosity value must include the test temperature, measurement method, and whether it applies to each component or the mixed adhesive. | TDS with viscosity method, storage temperature, dispensing guidance, and equipment compatibility. | Viscosity changes can affect dosing accuracy, flow, void formation, and automation reliability. |
| Mechanical Strength | Compare tensile, lap-shear, peel, impact, and compressive performance according to the joint design. | Use standardized test conditions and compare results at the same substrate, bond-line thickness, cure state, and test temperature. | Test reports referencing ASTM D1002, ISO 4587, or another applicable method. | A high headline strength value does not necessarily indicate strong fatigue, peel, or impact resistance. |
| Temperature Resistance | Check continuous-use temperature, short-term exposure, thermal cycling, and strength retention after aging. | Require data at the actual operating temperature range rather than relying only on a stated maximum temperature. | Thermal-aging results, temperature-dependent strength data, and test conditions. | Epoxy performance can decline when exposed to sustained heat, thermal shock, or repeated expansion and contraction. |
| Chemical and Moisture Resistance | Identify exposure to water, humidity, fuels, oils, solvents, acids, alkalis, or cleaning agents. | Request immersion or humidity-aging data using the chemicals, concentration, temperature, and exposure time relevant to the application. | Chemical-resistance matrix, water-absorption data, and environmental-aging test reports. | Environmental exposure may reduce adhesion even when initial laboratory strength is high. |
| Electrical Properties | For electrical or electronic assemblies, check dielectric strength, volume resistivity, insulation resistance, and outgassing requirements. | The selected test method should match the end-use sector and required voltage, frequency, and temperature conditions. | Electrical test reports and, where relevant, flammability or component-recognition documentation. | Electrical performance is application-specific and cannot be inferred from bond strength alone. |
| Regulatory Compliance | Determine the destination-market requirements for chemicals, restricted substances, worker safety, and product labeling. | For European Union supply chains, screen applicable REACH obligations and RoHS restrictions; verify additional national requirements where applicable. | Current Safety Data Sheet (SDS), substance disclosure, REACH statement, RoHS declaration, and regulatory change process. | Incomplete regulatory documentation can delay customs clearance, customer approval, or market entry. |
| Quality Management | Assess process control, traceability, nonconformance handling, calibration, and change management. | An independently certified ISO 9001 quality management system is a useful baseline, but it does not replace product qualification. | Valid ISO 9001 certificate, scope of certification, audit status, COA format, and corrective-action procedure. | Documented controls improve lot-to-lot consistency and make supplier performance easier to audit. |
| Environmental and Safety Systems | Review environmental management, worker safety, hazardous-material handling, and emergency procedures. | ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications may support environmental and occupational-health due diligence when their scopes cover the relevant site and activities. | Valid certificates, site scope, latest audit status, waste-handling records, and safety procedures. | These controls help buyers evaluate operational risk and meet responsible-sourcing requirements. |
| Shelf Life and Storage | Check unopened shelf life, storage temperature, humidity limits, freeze sensitivity, and packaging integrity. | The supplier should state shelf life from the manufacturing date and define storage conditions for each component. | TDS, label information, lot/date coding, storage instructions, and accelerated-aging or stability data where available. | Long international transit and warehouse storage can shorten usable life if temperature control is inadequate. |
| Packaging and Transport | Confirm packaging type, component separation, leakage prevention, palletization, labeling, and dangerous-goods classification. | Shipping documents and packaging must match the applicable transport mode and destination-country rules. | Packing specification, transport classification, SDS Section 14 information, and packaging-drop or leakage test records where relevant. | Correct transport preparation reduces delays, leakage claims, and customs or carrier rejection. |
| Batch Consistency | Define critical-to-quality parameters such as mix ratio, viscosity, color, density, cure time, and lap-shear strength. | Agree on product specifications, acceptable tolerances, sampling frequency, and release criteria before mass production. | Certificate of Analysis (COA), retained samples, lot traceability, and pre-shipment inspection records. | Clear release criteria reduce disputes and help buyers identify process drift early. |
| Technical Support | Evaluate response time, application engineering, failure analysis, and support for process validation. | Require written answers to technical questions, documented corrective actions, and support during sample-to-production transition. | Technical contact details, troubleshooting guide, validation protocol, and corrective-action report template. | Effective support is especially important when the buyer and supplier operate in different languages, time zones, and regulatory systems. |
| Pre-Approval Testing | Test samples under production-representative conditions before approving a purchase order. | Include surface preparation, mix ratio, bond-line thickness, cure schedule, aging, and destructive testing in the validation plan. | Signed approval report, test protocol, laboratory records, and defined requalification triggers. | Application testing provides stronger purchasing evidence than marketing claims or isolated datasheet values. |