Leading Agricultural Equipment Manufacturer and R221 Case Study

Improving Production Efficiency and Eliminating Leak Failures in Agricultural Water Tanks

A leading agricultural equipment manufacturer is a long-established producer of livestock management products. Among their product lines are large galvanized steel watering tanks used by farmers and ranchers throughout North America.

Because these tanks must reliably hold water in demanding outdoor environments, seam integrity and leak prevention are critical to product performance. When the manufacturer began experiencing manufacturing bottlenecks and product reliability challenges tied to their existing seam sealing process, they partnered with Forza to evaluate a faster, more reliable bonding solution.

The result was a dramatic improvement in both manufacturing efficiency and field performance.

The Challenge

Livestock watering tanks are constructed from formed metal panels that must be sealed along multiple seams. These seams are responsible for maintaining watertight integrity while the tank experiences temperature changes, vibration during shipping, and years of outdoor exposure.

Prior to working with Forza, the manufacturer used a traditional sealant system to seal these seams. While functional, the process created several operational challenges:

Long cure times: The sealant required 24–48 hours to fully dry, forcing tanks to sit idle before they could be nested or moved in the production flow.

Production bottlenecks: Because the tanks could not be stacked immediately, large areas of floor space were tied up waiting for cure time.

Customer callbacks: Even after full cure, seam failures occasionally occurred, leading to leak complaints from approximately 20% of units in the field.

The manufacturer needed a solution that would speed up production while also improving long-term seam reliability.

The Solution: ForzaBOND® R221

After evaluating the application, Forza introduced ForzaBOND® R221, a two-part modified epoxy adhesive designed for structural bonding applications across a wide range of materials.

Unlike traditional sealants, R221 forms a durable structural bond that remains flexible while resisting shrinkage, heat generation, and environmental degradation.

Key attributes that made R221 suitable for the application include

• 100% solids formulation with no shrinking during cure
• Flexible bond line that accommodates movement and vibration
• Wide service temperature range from –75°F to 400°F

UV stability and paintability for long-term durability

• 750 psi lap shear strength and 825 psi tensile strength

From a manufacturing standpoint, the adhesive’s 1:1 mix ratio and cartridge or bulk dispensing options allowed the manufacturer to integrate the product directly into their production process with minimal change to workflow.

Once applied along the tank seams and assembled, the adhesive achieved handling strength quickly, allowing tanks to continue moving through the production process much sooner than before.

Results Achieved

After implementing ForzaBOND® R221 in their seam sealing process, the manufacturer saw immediate improvements in both productivity and product quality.

Production Speed Doubled The new bonding process allowed tanks to be nested and moved within two hours, compared with the previous 24-hour waiting period required by the old sealant system.

Significant Reduction in Manufacturing Bottlenecks With cure time dramatically reduced, tanks no longer occupied valuable production floor space while waiting for sealant to dry.

Leak Failures Eliminated The structural bond created by R221 produced a more consistent seam seal. As a result, leak-related customer callbacks dropped from roughly 20% to zero.

Higher Product Reliability in the Field Because the adhesive forms a continuous bonded seam rather than isolated sealing points, stress is distributed more evenly across the joint, helping the tanks maintain watertight integrity throughout their service life.

Why ForzaBOND® R221 Performs in This Application

ForzaBOND® R221 is a two-part modified epoxy adhesive engineered for structural bonding where durability and flexibility must coexist.

Unlike brittle two-part adhesives that can crack under stress, R221 maintains a flexible bond line capable of absorbing movement and thermal expansion without compromising structural strength.

Additional performance characteristics that benefit agricultural equipment manufacturing include

• 100% reactive solids formulation, preventing shrinkage during cure
• No heat generation during curing, protecting adjacent materials
• Compatibility with metals, composites, wood, and concrete substrates

Minimal surface preparation requirements, simplifying manufacturing processes

These properties allow R221 to perform reliably in outdoor equipment exposed to weather, temperature swings, and repeated mechanical stresses.

The Lasting Impact

By adopting ForzaBOND® R221, the manufacturer was able to transform a slow and failure-prone sealing process into a streamlined bonding operation that improved both productivity and product reliability.

The change not only doubled manufacturing speed but also eliminated leak-related warranty issues, strengthening the manufacturer’s reputation for dependable livestock equipment.

The project demonstrates how modern structural adhesives can replace traditional sealants to deliver both manufacturing efficiency and long-term durability in demanding agricultural applications.