Rivets, bolts and fasteners… for many manufacturers and mechanical engineers these are still the most tangible ways to join parts together. Seeing a nice row of bolts is reassuring and confidence inspiring. Adhesives are often seen as a black art and met with skepticism. Although adhesive bonds can be stronger than the materials they bond together, they are still often backed up with so-called “chicken rivets”. We talk to the director of the Adhesion Institute in the Netherlands to get an insight into adhesive systems and see what the future might hold.