Think back to your childhood. When you had to combine materials during an arts-and-craft project, or maybe even put pieces of a broken toy back together, what did you use? My guess is that tape was your go-to fixer. Now, fast forward, and now you’re an engineer or part of a product design team. Would you be surprised to learn that tape is still a viable bonding solution? Of course, we’re not talking about the same tape from elementary school.

Within any successful team, you’ll find unsung heroes. They don’t seek the spotlight, but their contributions are undeniable. You could even say they’re the glue that holds everything together. In this article, we’re going to talk about two unsung heroes of a membrane switch: the spacer and mounting adhesive. While these layers may not get as much attention as the faceplate and printed circuit, they are equally crucial in creating a compact, user-friendly electronics control panel.

In the world of product design and manufacturing, rarely is there a one-size-fits-all approach. After all, it’s called custom materials converting for a reason. However, when it comes to creating durable labels, there’s a single product line that is often a great starting point regardless of your application or environment. Here at Tapecon, many of our customers are thrilled to learn about 3M™ Versatile Print Label Material and how it can be used for a wide range of durable labels.

Set it and forget it. While sounding convenient, it’s not always a practical approach for certain products and applications. In the real world, it can be more valuable to have the ability to set, remove, and reset as necessary. That’s precisely where 3M™ Dual Lock™ Reclosable Fasteners comes in. Dual Lock is 3M’s line of high-strength, reusable fasteners. Think of these products as industrial versions of the hook-and-loop strips used on clothing and other everyday applications. However, 3M takes reclosable fasteners to a whole new level with Dual Lock.

Strength is often associated with size. The bigger, the stronger, right? That may go for bodybuilders and heavy-duty vehicles, but it’s not a universal truth. To paraphrase a common idiom, strong things can come in small packages. Case in point – 3M™ VHB™ Tapes are strong enough to fasten construction materials and passenger buses, even though it’s nearly invisible once installed. If you’re not familiar with this impressive tape (or want new ideas on how to use it), this article is for you.

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. We all experience it in one way or another, and we all have ways of coping with it. However, product designers and engineers must manage a very distinct type of stress – the force applied to adhesive bonds. While today’s innovative adhesives and tapes are viable alternatives to mechanical fasteners, bonding strength must be considered to ensure optimal performance and durability. In this article, we’ll cover common types of stress that affect adhesive, along with tips for material selection.

Let there be light. That can be easier said than done for product designers and engineers as devices become more compact and portable than ever. A few months ago, we invited Mark Darby on our Better Product Solutions Podcast. Mark is the Vice President of Sales for Lumitex. We had an illuminating discussion on flexible light technology, which is a great solution for medical, medical devices, transportation, and many other industries.

According to the classic TV show, The Jetsons, we’re a mere four decades away from driving flying cars. While that may be science-fiction, the era of electronic vehicles (EV) is much more realistic. The global EV market increased 43% from 2019 to 2020 – and hit the 10 million stock milestone in the process. Considering that this growth occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s safe to say that the future is now when it comes to electric vehicles. One key driver of the growth and mainstream consumer adoption of EVs is advancements in battery technology. Today’s batteries (and therefore vehicles) offer higher capacity, extended driving range, improved motor performance, and faster charging. However, one drawback to high-powered batteries that can present a design challenge – and even potential safety hazard – is thermal runaway.

Growing up, we all learned the lesson, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” Similarly, when it comes to healthcare, sometimes it’s not just about what medication you take, but how you take it. One delivery method that has been around for over forty years but is growing in popularity is the transdermal patch. In this article, we’ll scratch the surface of the benefits and design challenges for creating a high-quality and successful transdermal patch product.