The squeaky wheel gets the grease – that we all know. But it’s not just squeaks that concern product designers and engineers, but also grinding, buzzing, squealing, humming, and an endless list of strange sounds. Noise, vibration, and harshness (or NVH for short) is a common challenge in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and more. In the simplest terms, NVH includes unwanted sounds and oscillation from metal panels, support structures, or other product components. Not only can NVH be unpleasant for consumers (such as a rattling sound coming from their vehicle), but it can hinder performance and lead to excess wear and tear on the product.

Toughness. Ruggedness. Resilience. These are admirable personality traits that help individuals get through difficult times or challenges. And in some cases, they are also attributes required for products used in harsh environments. It’s one thing to design a product that works in the lab. It’s another to make sure it’s ready for real-world conditions and usage. That’s where the selection of innovative and durable materials can make or break a product.

From an early age, we are all taught to respect fire and take necessary safety precautions. While we can never entirely eliminate the risk of fires, advancements in materials science have greatly improved our ability to minimize the destruction. One exciting innovation is the category of flame-retardant adhesives. These products are specifically designed to slow (or stop) the spread of flames and mitigate other dangerous effects of fire. Several industries have flammability guidelines and can benefit from fire-resistant products, including aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, maritime, and public transportation.

This time of year is typically “award season” for the entertainment industry. Unfortunately, many awards shows are already postponed due to the pandemic. While we must wait to find out who will take home golden trophies at the Academy Awards, we can recognize a different category of films – the type that plays a supporting role in making all types of products.

Do you know someone who believes that duct tape fixes everything? It’s a handy product; there’s no question about it. If only there were a similar, do-it-all solution when designing devices for medical and healthcare use. Choosing the best fastening method for your product is no small decision. There are many factors to consider, including design, manufacturing, compliance, safety, and more. However, thanks to impressive material science advancements, adhesives have emerged as a viable, cost-effective replacement over mechanical fasteners.

If you’ve been following our blog, you already know that we are big fans of adhesives. Whether you’re assembling an electronic device or creating a wearable that needs to stick to skin, odds are there’s an adhesive that can fit into your design and improve the functionality or manufacturability of your product.

In this episode of The Better Product Solutions Podcast, we speak with Bill Sullivan, Executive Vice President, Business and Technology Discovery at FLEXcon. In this podcast, Bill gives us a breakdown of more functional technologies to films and coatings, some of the capabilities bringing new technology to the forefront and how to help brand owners launch products faster.

On a recent episode of our Better Product Solution Podcast, 3M’s Senior Product Development Engineer Bret Ludwig joined us to talk about advancements and opportunities in wearable skin tape and adhesives. One of the many fascinating topics that he discussed was how challenging it can be for a product to stick to skin. Here’s a quick clip.

The saying is true – good things can come in small packages. In today’s marketplace, devices are simultaneously getting smaller and more powerful. However, compact products pose a wide range of design challenges and complexities. The good news is that in many cases, the solution is surprisingly simple: foam. Now, we’re not talking about the foams of yesteryear. Through dedicated research and development, materials manufacturers have created innovative and specialized foams for a multitude of applications.

Telemedicine was already on the rise even before COVID-19 hit. However, it’s one thing for a medical professional to consult with a patient virtually – it’s a bigger challenge to perform diagnostics and monitoring from a distance. As our population grows and ages, along with the increasing rates of chronic health issues, our healthcare system is at risk of being overwhelmed. One strategy to keep up with demand and reduce overall cost is with remote patient monitoring.