You&#;re steadily making your way through your list of material options when you recall adhesive transfer tape, yet, it&#;s hard to remember the exact benefit of using it in a project.
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The engineers at Strouse have helped build multiple processes that utilize adhesive transfer tapes to create a final product, and having worked with it for many years, we feel customers must understand both the pros and cons before making a choice.
Once you&#;ve gone through the advantages and disadvantages of adhesive transfer tape, you&#;ll know enough to decide whether it fits your application.
ADHESIVE TRANSFER TAPE: THIN BONDING
When you think of adhesive transfer tapes, think about flexibility.
The &#;thinnest&#; of thin bonding tapes (sub 1 mil), adhesive transfer tapes are conformable to elastic, printed circuit boards, thin plastic, and many other materials, even irregular shapes and sizes. Plus, because they&#;re so thin, adhesive transfer tapes are perfect for products that need to be aesthetically pleasing.
It takes an experienced converter to handle adhesive transfer tapes properly. The materials themselves and how they&#;re converted often make for a challenging manufacturing process, which we&#;ll get into later.
The objects being bonded together (the substrates) and their composition are the determining factors for thin bonding products. Adhesive transfer tape manufacturers offer thousands of transfer tapes. When selecting material, you should discuss product functionality with your converter to help determine that the form meets the function.
How is Adhesive Transfer Tape Made?
Adhesive Transfer Tape (ATT) is a thin adhesive film with a release liner. The liner makes handling easier and peels off when applying to the second substrate.
Unlike double sided tapes, adhesive transfer tapes only have one type of adhesive and no carrier (the material that separates and holds two adhesives). If the product requires its tape to provide a significant stiffness to function correctly, only a tape with a carrier, or double sided tape, will suffice. Suitable adhesive transfer tapes can do the job if the stiffness comes from the bonded materials.
The thinness of transfer tape has design advantages but can also lead to problems in the converting process. Think of a delicate sheet being pulled off a release liner. Too much tension can pull the liner off too easily or break the adhesive, and not enough tension makes the adhesive stay with the liner. There is a fine line when a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape is so stretchy.
The Advantage of Transfer Tape: Surface and Environment
As previously mentioned, the substrates&#; composition helps converters decide what adhesive transfer tape to use. Yet, there are also the surface&#;s three-dimensional characteristics to consider, which is where transfer tape shines.
In short, these are the advantages and disadvantages of adhesive transfer tape:
ADVANTAGES
- Flexible and conformable to irregular shapes
- Design flexibility and clean aesthetics
- Low profile allows for stacking
- Not limited to the temperature resistance of a carrier
- Optical clarity solutions
- Replace mechanical fasteners
- Converters can combine adhesive transfer tapes with a carrier to make a custom
double sided tape
DISADVANTAGES
- Adds no significant stiffness (no carrier)
- Cannot easily bond two dissimilar materials
- Handling strength is minimal
- Thinness requires expert converting
A physical surface is rarely completely flat, yet some surfaces have quite a bit of irregularity and require adhesives with more substantial coverage and surface energy, such as flexible tape without a carrier.
Another advantage of adhesive transfer tapes is their low profile, which allows for easier stacking atop one another to perform different functions. Plus, with no carrier, a transfer tape is not dependent on the carrier&#;s ability to withstand high temperatures as it is with double sided tape.
Sub-zero temperatures can affect an adhesive solution&#;s effectiveness as much as hot environments or a tape constantly exposed to the sun&#;s UV rays or moisture. Many adhesive transfer tape manufacturers perform tests to ensure their adhesive's UV or moisture-resistant capabilities, including 3m adhesive transfer tapes.
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If the application demands optical clarity, an optically clear adhesive (OCA) transfer tape is the most appropriate product because of its thinness and minimal construction material used. When looking good is a priority, adhesive transfer tapes replace bulky rivets, bolts, and other mechanical fasteners. An ultra-thin transfer tape is low profile and nearly unnoticeable.
Using Adhesive Transfer Tape in Production
While adhesive transfer tapes are thin and flexible, they&#;re not very sturdy, so converting them requires expertise. Consistently cutting to exact dimensions or complex shapes at low tensions is not something every converter can do.
For example, if the project involved die cutting shapes in transfer tape, then removing adhesive sections for a tab, not having a carrier in the middle will substantially increase the difficulty of your process.
Experienced engineers at high-end converters have designed processes to ensure that adhesive transfer tapes meet specified dimensions and tolerances while being designed for manufacturability.
Some aspects of transfer tape present unique, surprising challenges, such as storage. If a transfer tape is stored improperly for an extended period, gravity will cause the adhesive to flow down off the release liner, creating a pool of adhesive.
A stretchy adhesive transfer tape will provide opportunities and challenges. Involving your converter&#;s engineers early on goes a long way in guaranteeing the success of your production.
Are you looking for a particular application? Feel free to seek out more specific information on converting adhesive transfer tape. Otherwise, you&#;ll find additional guides in our Learning Center on other bonding solutions.
Originally published: March 31,
From colorful washi tape to the tough strength of paper shipping tape, you have plenty of choices when it comes to the adhesive tape from Paper Mart. The most important part of working with tape is choosing the right tape for the job at hand. Learning more about the different types of adhesive tapes and best practices will help you make the best choices for your shipping, crafting, and decorative needs.
Adhesive Tape for Shipping and Business
The biggest consideration when choosing adhesive tape for boxes is whether you prefer paper or plastic tape. It is important to pick the right tape for your job. You&#;ll not only struggle to seal your boxes, but you could even lose the contents. Learning more about adhesive tape can help you choose the right tools for the job.
Paper Tapes
Also referred to as Kraft tape, paper carton sealing tape is generally more affordable than plastic, and you&#;ll need less of it to securely seal boxes. Almost all paper shipping tape is reinforced with additional strapping or fibers. Giving it the strength you need for heavy-duty shipping. You&#;ll need a specialty dispenser for some types of paper shipping tape.
Paper tape comes in different grades so you can choose the strength you need for the job at hand. Precision cutting is easier with paper tape, resulting in less waste and improved efficiency. In most cases, paper tape is also wider than plastic, further increasing its value.
Paper tape withstands extreme temperatures that could melt plastic tapes. This makes it an ideal choice for warmer climates and summer shipping. Paper tape is also ideal if you tend to overstuff your packages. As its innate strength allows it to hold everything together without stretching or tearing.
Plastic Tapes
Plastic adhesive tape is easy to use, and you don&#;t need special equipment or dispensers to apply it effectively. This type of tape is generally pressure-sensitive. It&#;s easy to stick to your boxes and applied over old tape and labels. Unlike paper tape, you can use plastic tape on poly mailers and other types of packets. If you mail products in poly or Tyvek, you&#;ll need to keep the plastic adhesive tape on hand to secure them.
Paper and plastic are just the beginning, and your choice will depend on the types of packages you ship most often. Paper Mart has many unique ways to accomplish your packaging needs! In some cases, you may need one or more specialty tapes to effectively ship your items. Consider adding the following to your shipping supplies so you always have the right tool for the job:
- Filament Tapes: Reinforced with tough fiberglass strands, filament tapes have to be cut through to be removed. If you need to be sure a package is secure or want tampering to be obvious, a filament tape is the best choice.
- Printed Tape: When you want the handlers and recipient to know an item is fragile, perishable or time-sensitive, a printed tape can go onto your securely sealed box as a way to protect the items and ensure proper handling.
- Custom Tape: Tape created specifically for your brand with your own message can help improve awareness of your business and allows you to create a cohesive image. Use this tape over traditional paper or plastic packing tape so your boxes and products are instantly identifiable.
Duct tape, masking tape, and decorative tapes are fun and attractive. However, they are not usually not durable enough for business use. You should also save Scotch or Magic Tape for wrapping gifts, not securing packages; they&#;re too flimsy for shipping or moving boxes.
Decorative Tapes for Crafting and Décor
From creating actual garments to accenting home décor and making amazing crafts at home, there&#;s a wide range of applications for decorative tape. While these specialty tapes are not recommended for securely fastening items for the long haul, they are wonderful for crafting. As with shipping, using the right tape for the project you have in mind ensures success.
- Washi Tape: This paper tape is a Japanese-inspired crafting staple; while it does not hold items together securely, it provides a punch of color and design to almost any surface in an instant. Washi tape does not have a strong adhesive so it can be applied and later removed without damaging the surface. It won&#;t stick to fabric, but washi works well for paper, wood, tile and other surfaces.
- Duct Tape: A crafting powerhouse, duct tape is an economical way to add plenty of color and style without taking the time to create a surface design. Simply add duct tape to the surface you&#;re working on for an instant burst of color and pattern. You can also create whole sheets of duct tape. Then use them to craft anything from clothing to accessories, jewelry, and bags. This versatile supply is ideal for kids, teens and group projects since it is so fast and easy to work with.
- Clear Packing Tape: This plastic tape is intended for shipping but can also be used to protect small pieces of paper art or as a stand in for lamination. Clear packaging tape also makes for easy and affordable image transfers; simply add water and transfer your chosen image to another surface.
Paper Mart&#;s Tape Selection
Whether you need to ship boxes securely, want to boost brand awareness or want to create amazing decorative items for your home, we have the tape you need to get the job done. Visit Paper Mart and check out our extensive selection of functional and decorative tapes to suit your needs. We take pride in our ability to offer a full lineup of options for everything. Let us cover your supplies for business/branding to crafting/creative projects!
The company is the world’s best Adhesive Tape Bulk supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.