Australia’s robust farming and food products industries are bolstered by locally owned and operated plantations and homesteads that produce a bountiful year-round harvest. From fresh fruits and vegetables; to nuts, seeds, and cotton; to corn, wheat, and a variety of staple grains, Australia is one of the most prominent cultivators and producers of agricultural goods in the world. 

Behind the scenes of lush crops and harvested fresh foods, LOCTITE®’s liquid threadlockers have played a critical role in helping Australian farmers keep their equipment and machinery up and running and preventing downtime during critical times such as the cyclical planting and harvesting seasons. 

Since world-renowned chemist and founder of LOCTITE Vernon Krieble first invented liquid threadlocker in the 1950’s, the practice of threadlocking fasteners to secure parts and components has become intrinsically linked to the farming industry, according to Motion’s Category Manager for Lubricants, Adhesives, Sealants and Chemicals, Michael Rowe.

“The most common problems with threaded assemblies on farming, agricultural equipment and machinery is loosening that occurs during operation. Although there are mechanical locking devices on the market, often these mechanical assemblies cannot maintain sufficient clamping force to lock a fastener in place,” says Michael. 

“Threaded assemblies – such as double nuts, spring washers, tooth flanged bolts, and nylon insert nuts that hold important components in place – risk failure during operation when they must contend with the vibrational force, thermal expansion, fluctuating temperatures, bending and torque, and the ingress of external contaminants such as soil and fertilisers,” he explains. 

Strong bonds, backed by science 

In order to prevent the loosening of threaded assemblies on agricultural equipment, it’s important to ensure that they are reinforced sufficiently. This is where LOCTITE liquid threadlocker works to fill in the gaps between threads and provide reinforcement against harsh operating conditions. Often imitated, but never duplicated, the iconic red bottles of the LOCTITE liquid threadlockers have earned their reputation as a premium range of anaerobic adhesives that can ‘lock tight’ fastener assemblies with reliable force. 

Although, the idea behind liquid threadlocker may seem simple enough – it locks threads on metal fasteners in place securely – the science behind LOCTITE’s threadlocker compound is a little more complex. A threadlocker is an adhesive solution that forms a strong bond between the fastener, and it’s attached components using an airless, or anaerobic, curing process to secure interlacing threads and ensure load bearing capabilities. 

When applied between two mating threads, LOCTITE threadlockers push the air between the threads out as the fastener is tightened. The anaerobic threadlocker resin is high viscosity and provides an instant, low-pressure sealing solution that cures on metal surfaces, even in an airless environment, to form a thermoset plastic that locks threads and joints in place. Depending on the role of a fastener, the LOCTITE threadlocker range comes in a variety of adhesive strengths to suit a variety of metals and applications. 

For Australian farmers, this means fewer failures on critical pieces of farming equipment, reduced downtime on operations and cost savings on repairs, maintenance, and replacement parts.  

INDUSTRY ADVICE FROM OUR EXPERTS
Michael Rowe – Category manager

LOCTITE® Threadlockers:
Features and Benefits

• Maintains the clamping force

• Prevents loosening under heavy external loads 

• The elimination of all gaps guarantees a secure threaded connection

• Completely sealed and air-tight

• Prevents leaks and reduces the effects of corrosion

• Engineers and designers can opt for the through hole design over the blind hole design for threaded assemblies 

• All LOCTITE threadlockers have a broad temperature resistance of -65°F to 300°F (-18°C to 149°C), while some threadlockers are designed for high temperatures up to 650°F (343°C)

• One bottle of LOCTITE liquid threadlocker suits nuts and bolts of all sizes

For more information on where to buy LOCTITE threadlocker products, visit your local Motion branch today.