Manufacturers of adhesives for industrial use determine the strength of adhesive joints during shear tests. Most often, components made of the same material are joined. In contrast, the roughness of the surfaces to be joined results from the use of a specific surface treatment technology. In adhesive manufacturers’ recommendations for metal-to-metal joints, surface technologies can be found without specifying numerical requirements for roughness. Modern techniques for shaping the geometric accuracy of components allow the formation of determined irregularities on the surface, which are characterised by their height and mutual distribution. Furthermore, regular irregularities can be obtained by using the appropriate tool and technological machining parameters. In this way, surfaces with similar load-bearing capacity, core volume, texture or expected hydrophobic properties can be produced by various methods. However, a basic prerequisite is the careful definition of the numerical requirements, both for the basic roughness indices and those of a complementary nature. As a rule, the strength of the adhesive joint is also lower than the strength of the adhesive itself. The strength of an adhesive joint depends on the ‘mechanical anchorage’ of the adhesive and the adhesion phenomenon on the surface. The research assumes that it is possible to induce an interaction between the geometric state of the surface and the properties of the adhesive, so as to guarantee the maximum strength of the adhesive joint. To verify this, a series of experimental tests were developed and carried out for two different adhesives characterised by different viscosities and offered bond strength. Based on the tests carried out, recommendations were made to the designers of adhesive joints, where, in addition to the height of the surface irregularities, the properties related to fluid retention and the shape of the irregularities in the valleys should be determined.
