The applications for industrial tape are nearly endless. From packaging to bonding plastics and metals to each other to protecting painted or polished surfaces, there are countless tape products available to meet almost any need. But using industrial tape can also create problems if you aren’t thinking carefully about what your needs are and what kind of tape will best fit your application. Here are some of the most common challenges manufacturers encounter when using industrial tape.
1. Tack vs. holding power
Many people think that if a particular industrial tape or adhesive is high tack, it automatically has strong holding power. But that’s not necessarily the case. Some industrial tape sticks really quickly but doesn’t have the holding power to meet application requirements, particularly for longer durations. Engineers and product developers need to balance those two needs and choose an industrial tape product that has both high tack and high holding power.
2. Surface properties
Choosing industrial tape with the right properties as discussed above is only half of the equation. You also need to consider the properties of the surface the tape will be applied to. Wood, metal, plastic and other synthetic materials all have very different properties that can affect the performance of industrial tape products. Serious issues can occur when using a tape product that wasn’t intended to be paired with that particular surface in a given environment. An experienced tape converter can help product designers and engineers work through these challenges and select the right tape product for the intended application surface.
3. Removing the tape
Some industrial tape is intended to be permanent, with two sides of permanent adhesive, while some is designed to be removed after a period of time. The problem comes when users don’t fully think through their needs and use industrial tape that can’t be removed, only to later realize they actually do want to make changes to the product or application area. For example, if you are using mounting tape to hang a picture or for shower dispenser applications, you need to make sure the tape can be removed without causing serious damage to the application site. Sometimes conditions change where an application that was intended to be permanent suddenly needs to be removed. But the key is to think very carefully about your needs now and into the future and choose the industrial tape product that best fits your application and usage.
4. Tear-ability
Many industrial tapes not only have strong holding power, but the tape itself is extremely strong as well. This is great for some applications, but if you need to be able to tear the product by hand — such as duct tape used in construction — you need to plan accordingly. Using tape that is too strong or requires tooling to cut or tear can cause headaches for certain applications. When choosing industrial tape, consider how the tape will be applied and what that means for your process.
5. Environmental challenges
Heat, moisture and other environmental factors can all impact the performance of industrial tape. When these variables are not considered at the outset, problems can occur. Product developers and engineers need to think critically about what the environment will be for a given application and how that environment might change over time.
Planning prevents problems
Working with industrial tape can provide significant advantages over other kinds of adhesives. But you need to make sure you fully understand your needs and how the tape you choose will affect its performance. By taking time to plan for every stage of the product or application life cycle, you can feel confident you are selecting the ideal industrial tape product for your application.
Need better tape and adhesive solutions for your industrial application? Contact The Tape Lab and our engineers will work with your team to select and develop the perfect industrial tape solution for your needs.