For over 55 years, TPC Converting has provided customers in nearly every industry with optimized converting solutions and value-added services. Among our offerings are double-coated tape products that can be customized to meet your specific needs. Our high-performance double-coated tapes provide a broad range of benefits and can be applied using automated equipment for improved throughput, speed, and efficiency.
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Double-Coated Tape: Applications, Benefits, and Automation
Watch full videoWhat is Double-Coated Tape?
Double-coated tape, also known as double-sided tape or double-faced tape, is created by applying a thin layer of adhesive to both sides of a carrier substrate material. Many industries use these high-performance tapes for bonding, holding, mounting, packaging, and splicing.
Double-coated tape features pressure-sensitive adhesive on both sides, allowing two objects to be bonded together by the tape between them. The carrier material can be made of thin materials like paper or thicker materials like foam. Thick, foam-based tapes vary in strength and are typically better for bonding to non-uniform, highly textured, or unusual surfaces.
Double-coated tape can be customized to meet various needs, such as:
- Can be permanent or low-tack for easy repositioning
- Can have the same adhesive on both sides or different adhesives to meet the needs of various substrates
- Can be coated with additional materials like acrylic or rubber to produce tapes with different properties
An experienced converter like TPC Converting can customize double-coated tapes with the exact properties and precise shape you need for your application.
High-Performance Double-Coated Tape
Low surface energy materials, such as polyester fabric, wood, polypropylene, and polyethylene, can be difficult for standard tapes to bond to due to their non-stick, non-porous nature. For this reason, some double-coated tapes feature high-performance adhesives designed to deliver strong adhesion to challenging surfaces.
In addition to improved adhesion, high-performance double-coated tapes provide the following properties:
- Flame-retardant
- High shear and peel strength
- Resistance to plasticizers, solvents, and UV light
- Resistance to low and high temperatures
Differential Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive
Differential pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are a unique style of double-coated tape containing different adhesives on either side of the carrier. You may opt for differential pressure-sensitive adhesive tape for applications requiring reliable bonding of materials with different physical characteristics. Dissimilar materials can include those with different chemical capabilities, thermal expansion rates, textures, surface energy, and more.
Differential pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes offer an ideal alternative to screws, nuts, bolts, and other mechanical fasteners that could otherwise damage delicate materials. They can achieve a strong, secure bond, regardless of the material, and can withstand extreme environments. They can also be easily removed without leaving behind residue or causing surface damage.
Applications of Double-Coated Tape
Double-coated tapes are used extensively in the following industries:
Benefits of Double-Coated Tape
While the characteristics of individual double-sided tapes vary, typical benefits of double-coated tapes include:
- Bond dissimilar materials and those with low surface energy
- Simple, clean aesthetic
- Greater design flexibility
- Faster assembly
- Immediate handling strength
- Prevention of moisture intrusion
- Reduced product bulk
Automated Application of Double-Coated Tape with Tape Machines
Double-coated tape applicators are available in numerous configurations, from manual to fully automatic. Depending on the model chosen, they can achieve high speeds and can handle tape materials in various sizes.
Automated tape application equipment can quickly and efficiently apply many types of double-coated tapes, including but not limited to:
- VHB™/Acrylic foams
- Finger lift foam
- Perm Peel
- Red liner
- Tissue
Benefits of Automated Double-Coated Tape Application
Many companies are embracing automation in response to evolving customer demands and industry challenges, such as inflation, labor scarcity, and rising costs. Even basic process improvements, such as automated tape application, can provide significant benefits to businesses, including:
- Improved precision and quality
- Higher yield
- Enhanced consistency and flexibility
- Increased throughput
- Potential material savings by pattern applying tape
- Reduced labor demands
- Fewer product defects
Contact TPC Converting to Learn More About Our Double-Coated Tape Products
At TPC Converting, we can customize double-coated tapes to meet the specific needs of any project. We work with a wide range of pressure-sensitive adhesive materials and can provide die-cutting, slitting, laminating, and various other converting services to deliver a tailored solution.
For more information about our double-coated tape products, contact the experts at TPC Converting today.
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