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.
For modern products and complex solutions, we need more sophisticated options. Here at Tapecon, we frequently recommend and help customers utilize 3M’s vast portfolio of double-sided tapes for industrial and manufacturing applications.
Double-sided tape is used to bond two surfaces or parts together, often in place of mechanical fasteners, liquid adhesives, and even spot welding. While highly effective, double-sided tape is typically a simple product with three components: adhesive, a carrier, and a release liner.
As the name implies, both sides of the tape are coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). This type of adhesive is advantageous on many fronts. PSAs are easy to apply (just peel, stick, and apply pressure) without curing. They offer a consistent bondline thickness and even distribution loading. Finally, they are low-odor and do not require ventilation during assembly.
Double-sided tape can have the same adhesive on both sides or different adhesives when joining dissimilar substrates. Additionally, adhesives can range from low-tack and repositionable to long-term, highly resistant bonds.
The tape carrier (the material that holds the adhesive) can be a thin film or thick foam. Finally, the liner is the temporary backing that protects the adhesive. When the tape is ready to be applied, the liner is peeled back, removed from the tape, and discarded.
3M’s line of double-sided tapes can be broken into three main categories:
Compared to other fastening or bonding options, double-side tape delivers a long list of advantages. While each type of tape offers distinct characteristics, the following are some high-level benefits you can look forward to.
It would be nearly impossible to list all the places where double-sided tape is used. We find this bonding option is ideal for the following applications.
When selecting double-sided tape, the three primary considerations are the materials you’re bonding, your manufacturing processes, and the performance requirements of the adhesive.
Here are a few specific questions that can help you narrow down to the optimal 3M double-side tape.
Double-sided tape can be used in its raw roll or sheet form. However, it’s more common (and effective) to have the tape cut to a custom size or shape, so it fits precisely into your design. At Tapecon, we are proud to be a 3M Preferred Converter. Not only can we help you choose from over 300 3M double-sided tape products, but we also offer material testing, a complete range of converting capabilities, and assembly services.
With over 100 years of manufacturing experience, Tapecon works with product teams to solve challenges, create products, and enhance lives. Learn more about our custom materials converting capabilities.