Process material

A process material is a material that only develops its final material properties during manufacture . In contrast to this, "normal" materials no longer change materially in production. They are simply shaped (e.g. forging, cutting, milling) or connected to other materials (e.g. painting, assembling, mixing).

Adhesives are typical process materials because they only develop their mechanical strength through a (physical or chemical) setting reaction during manufacture. Exceptions are the dry pressure-sensitive adhesives, which no longer have to set.