Investing in the products you use for your business is important. Quality products will breed more success than inexpensive products every time. You’ve probably heard this hundreds of times. What you might not have heard as often is the importance of using the correct products and treating them correctly to ensure success. You’d be blown away by the number of businesses using inexpensive products instead of quality products and experiencing issues that end up costing their business more money in the long run. You’d be even more blown away by the number of businesses using quality products that are not correct for their application. As well as businesses using quality products that are correct for their application, but are not treated correctly. It may sound like a lot to ensure you have a high quality product that is correct for your application that you are using and treating correctly. Honestly, it is a lot. That’s why we’re here. It’s important to be sure you’re working with people who know what they’re doing and can help you find the right products and use them correctly.
The first step, finding high quality products, is easy here at Walker Tape Converting. We use only the highest quality products on the market. We work with top adhesive tape manufacturers like 3M, tesa®, mactac, Scapa, Shurtape, Berry Plastics, Avery Dennison, Orafol, and many more. Finding the correct product for your application is a little more involved. To give your adhesive tape investment the best chance of success, it needs to be the correct product for you, converted in a way that is best for your business.
To ensure we find this winning combination, we ask several questions to understand your project more fully. We dive deep into what the tape will be adhering to, how long it will need to hold, what amount of weight it will be holding, how your production processes work, who will be handling the tape, etc. Without this information, it’s impossible to be sure you have the right tape for your application. If you’re working with a rep or a converter that did not ask you in-depth questions, do your business a favor and get a second opinion.
It’s important to note that it’s nearly impossible to know how a tape will hold just by handling the tape. It takes a knowledgeable expert to ensure you get the right tape from the beginning. For example, just because a tape is incredibly sticky to the touch and holds well immediately, does not mean it will hold well for a long time. Many tapes are incredibly tacky initially but only hold well for a short period of time. Most of the permanent tapes on the market are actually not very tacky initially. They might barely feel sticky to the touch. After application, however, the adhesive ‘cures’ and holds permanently. With these tapes, you can expect an 80% hold after 24 hours, 90% after 48 hours, and 100% after 72 hours. When you work with a knowledgeable tape expert, they can ensure you understand how the tape will work immediately, as well as in the long-run.
One of the biggest advantages of working with an adhesive tape converter as opposed to just a rep from a tape manufacturer is the next-level customization. Often you can make a small additional investment to save hundreds of hours of labor or pounds of waste, saving you an incredible amount of money in the long-run. There are so many ways to customize your tape; from die cutting it to the exact size or shape you need for your production, to laminating two different tapes together to ensure proper hold between two different substrates. The possibilities are endless.
One of the most important things to understand when it comes to giving your tape the best chance of success is the way you treat it once it gets to you. After the product arrives at your facility, the rest is up to you. It’s important that you treat your tape correctly during storage and application. We’re here for your every step of the way to ensure you get the most value out of your adhesive tape products.
Storage
Tape storage is something many businesses don’t think much about. However, it’s important to know that the performance of your tape can be compromised if the tape is stored incorrectly. To get maximum performance out of your tape, be sure to ask your supplier or tape converter the best way to store the specific tape you purchase. We’ll go over some general storage guidelines here that will be true for any tape. Adhesive tapes are best stored in a temperature controlled environment. If your tape is stored in an environment that’s too cold or too hot for an extended period, you risk permanently damaging the adhesive. It’s also important that your tape is not exposed to sunlight, even through a window. If your tape has been compromised by sunlight you’ll notice a yellow tint around the edges of the adhesive. If you ever worry that your tape has been compromised, feel free to contact us for guidance.
Surface Preparation
Next to having the correct tape for your application, this step has the biggest impact on the success of your adhesive tape. If the surface you are applying the tape to is not prepared properly, even the best tape will not perform well. You’ll first need to clean the surface and rid it of debris, dust, and oils. If you’re applying the tape to a smooth surface, the best thing you can do is clean the surface and then give it a quick wipe with 99% alcohol. If you’ll be applying the tape to a rough surface or a cloth surface, just be sure it’s free of debris and dust. It’s also important to remove static from the surface before application. If you’re in a production setting, be sure your machines are grounded. You can also use dryer sheets or tinsel to remove static from surfaces.
Application
After your surface has been properly prepared, you’re ready to apply the tape. If you’re applying the tape manually, it’s important to keep the oils on your hands a fingers away from the adhesive. Oils from your fingerprints can have a big impact on your hold times. If you’re using a pressure sensitive adhesive, ensure that you apply the correct amount of pressure. If you have questions about how much pressure should be applied for your specific product, feel free to ask. If your application requires a long-term or permanent hold, it’s also important to keep the environment of the newly applied tape consistent for at least 48 hours, preferably 72. As we mentioned earlier, a permanent tape will not be fully cured until around 72 hours after application. That is an important time while your tape is establishing a secure attachment to the substrate. After the adhesive is fully cured, you have very little to worry about.
We cannot stress enough the importance of working with a reputable company to source and convert your adhesive tape products. We see far too many businesses suffer because of relationships with companies that are not knowledgeable about their products or are working with inferior products. At Walker Tape we pride ourselves on our product knowledge and experience in the industry. If your adhesive tape product is failing at any point, reach out to us. Our product experts will work with you one-on-one to ensure you get a product that serves your business.
As always, you can contact us at any time with questions using the form below.
Recent Posts
Categories
