Industrial tapes serve various purposes in manufacturing, construction, and other specialized applications. In this post, we’ll briefly review each and then consider the key considerations for choosing them instead of liquid or spray adhesives.

Duct, electrical, packaging, double-sided, and transfer are found commonly in industrial applications.

Duct tape is prized for its strength and versatility. Commonly used in construction applications, it’s strong enough to use in various applications on the job site, including temporary repairs, sealing, and fastening.

Electrical tape offers insulation and safety for electrical work due to its resistance to electrical currents. It’s typically used for bundling, color coding, and splicing electrical wire.

As the name suggests, packaging tape is used to secure boxes and other packages for shipping.

Structural, or bonding, tapes have bonding strength strong enough to serve as a replacement for mechanical fasteners, such as screws and rivets or welding. To ensure performance, structural tapes must resist environmental factors such as moisture, chemicals, extreme temperatures, and more. Many structural tapes are double-sided and coated with adhesive on both sides. They come in various forms, sizes, and strengths, including transparent, foam, acrylic, high-performance, and more. Double-sided tapes are often used for mounting, joining, and assembly, and while not all double-sided tapes are considered “structural,” most serve as a permanent bonding solution.

The benefits of structural tapes include weight reduction, improved aesthetics, enhanced sealing, stress distribution, and assembly time efficiency. They also help as a dampener, reducing vibration and providing impact resistance.

Transfer tape is a highly versatile industrial tape with a thin adhesive film but no carrier or backing. It’s easily transferred to most dry surfaces from a peel-away release liner.

High-quality adhesive dispense applicators are indispensable tools. They are crucial in ensuring precise and controlled adhesive application efficiency and compliance with safety regulations, leading to high customer satisfaction.

Spray adhesives for industrial applications are increasing in popularity. Automotive, marine, construction, and aerospace applications are just a few where spray adhesives' performance benefits and efficiency are a significant advantage.

In the complex automotive manufacturing world, achieving a perfect balance between structural integrity, aesthetics, and durability is paramount. One often overlooked yet crucial component in this process is seam sealer. Seam sealers play a vital role in enhancing the overall performance and longevity of vehicles, particularly in the presence of pre- and post-e-coat processes.

Seam sealants are commonly used in the automotive industry to seal joints, seams, and gaps in vehicle bodies to prevent water, dust, and other elements from penetrating and causing corrosion, subsequently enhancing the overall durability of the vehicle.

Their application occurs at various stages of the manufacturing process, including both pre-electrocoat (e-coat) and post-e-coat stages.

Electrocoating, or e-coating, involves immersing the vehicle body in a tank of electrically charged paint particles. The paint adheres to the metal surfaces electrostatically. After applying the e-coat, the vehicle body goes through a bake oven, where the paint is cured. The high temperature in the oven helps the e-coat form a durable, protective layer.

It's essential to use seam sealants that are compatible with the e-coat process and can withstand the high temperatures of the bake oven. Proper surface preparation and application techniques are also crucial to ensure adhesion and effectiveness.

The pre-e-coat phase involves the application of an electrically charged coating to the vehicle's metal surfaces to prevent corrosion. However, even with the protective layer of e-coat, there are vulnerable areas where water and other environmental elements may penetrate. This is where seam sealers come into play.

Pre-e-coat seam sealers have two significant functions. They function as an added barrier against corrosion and contribute to the vehicle's structural integrity.

Silicone, Silane-modified, and Polyurethane are some of the primary polymers that make up different types of sealants and adhesives. Each brings unique properties, making each of them better suited for different applications. 

Bond strength is a comprehensive measure of an adhesive's ability to hold two substrates together. It measures the resistance to separation and is affected by various factors, including the type of adhesive used, the bonding surface preparation, and the bonding process.

To fully understand the bond strength of an adhesive, it's necessary to understand the types of stress imparted on adhesive joints. The most common stresses include shear, peel, tensile, compression, and cleavage.

All these terms relate to the integrity of adhesive joints while measuring different strength aspects of the adhesive's performance. Below is a summary of each.

Shear strength measures an adhesive's resistance to forces parallel to the bonded surfaces. It represents the adhesive's ability to withstand pull directed across the adhesive, forcing the substrates to slide over each other. It is commonly tested by subjecting the bonded materials to a force applied parallel to the adhesive joint. A strong adhesive joint should exhibit both high bond and shear strength.

In the worlds of construction, manufacturing, and DIY projects, sealants and adhesives play an essential and pivotal role in ensuring structural integrity, preventing leaks, and bonding materials together. However, navigating the sea of sealant and adhesive terminology can be daunting. Understanding the terminology related to sealants and adhesives is essential for making informed decisions. To help you through the process, we have provided a comprehensive guide to some of this field’s most common terms and concepts.

 
The choice to join metals typically depends on factors such as the type of metal(s) being joined, load-bearing capacity and durability requirements, disassembly and repair factors, and other application requirements. The common ways to join metals include welding, mechanical fasteners, or adhesives.