Dwell
Dwell turns up in 2 fields: adhesives, production. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Dwell in adhesives
The time a pressure-sensitive bond sits after application while it builds toward full strength.
PSAs keep flowing into the surface after application, so bond strength rises for hours. Many acrylic tapes reach roughly half their final strength in 20 minutes, most of it in a day and full strength in about three days at room temperature. Peel tests specify dwell time for that reason. Warmth speeds it; loading parts too soon is a common cause of failure.
"Let the tape dwell overnight before you hang the sign, it's at maybe half strength right now."
Dwell in production
A programmed pause in a machine cycle where a tool or component remains stationary under pressure or heat.
A specific duration during a manufacturing cycle when motion stops to allow a process to complete. This is critical in operations like injection molding, heat sealing, and welding, where materials need time to cure, bond, or cool while held firmly in place.
"Increase the dwell on the heat sealer by half a second, the bags are popping open at the seams."