Training Tips for Transportation Masking

"With so many applications for masking and surface protection in the transportation industry, how can I find the right masking tape solution for my process?"

This is an important question because choosing the right masking tape is like choosing the right tool. It is important to know what you are trying to accomplish with the masking tape (your application), as well as knowing what the tape is going to be put through (environmental conditions).

Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) has published a very nice article and application-to-product chart just for this type of question. View their article, Training Tips for Transportation Masking.

2010 TapeInfo Flexible Material Usage Study

The results of the 2010 TapeInfo Flexible Material Usage Study are in. The study consisted of four questions regarding flexible material usage in the industrial arena, and included responses from myriad industries. The results were compiled and are shared here. Editors note: TapeBlog.com is operated by Tapeinfo.com personnel.

View the 2010 TapeInfo Flexible Material Usage Study now >>

Friggie Tape™ Saves Your Refrigerator Art

Friggie Tape International's "Friggie Tape™" repositionable refrigerator art tape is the answer to your stainless steel woes

For those of you who do not know, magnets do not stick to stainless steel refrigerators. For many families, this has meant saying good bye to presenting their children's artwork or good grades upon the traditional refrigerator. Many people have been searching and asking the questions "Why don't my magnets stick to my stainless steel refrigerator? and What can I use instead of magnets on a stainless steel refrigerator?"

Friggie Tape International has created a repositionable tape that allows you to display your little ones favorite works of art without damaging the piece or your refrigerator's finish. Furthermore, this tape leaves no residue, which mean no clean up.

Friggie Tape™ is also ideal for greeting cards, photos, trading cards, crafting projects and business presentations.

To learn more about this innovative new product, visit FriggieTape.com

3M Improves Liner for the 200MP Family

3M improves its High Performance Acrylic Adhesive 200MP products by changing the liner

3M's 9667MP and 9668MP products will be moved to a "lay flat" 83 lb. poly-coated kraft liner. This liner will increase the tape's moisture stable properties.

To learn more about these products or any other 3M products, visit 3M.com

Surface Energy Follow-Up

"I read a post you had on here a while back. You talked about surface energy and what kinds of adhesives work the best with different substrates. I am looking for something that will need to adhere to polyester. Does polyester have high surface energy? Where can I find a list of different substrates and their surface energies?"

Polyester has a surface energy between 42 and 50 dynes per centimeter. This is in the between high surface energy and medium surface energy.

There are many places you can go to find simple charts that give you an idea of the surface energies of some basic substrates. 3M has a web page on their Corporate website that goes through surface energy and has various charts on different substrates.

To view this chart or read more about surface energy, visit 3M.com

Finding the Right Tape For Specific Applications

"I am having a hard time finding exactly the right product for my application. I've consulted multiple suppliers and distributors with no luck. Can you point me in the right direction?"

Many companies source products from distributors and other suppliers, thinking they can only choose from a list of products. Without knowing your specific application it is difficult to provide you with a specific company to contact. However, you may want to consider using a converter or suggesting your distribution partner or supplier contact one instead.

When sourcing a product for a specific application, many think that they must choose between a select list of options. However, an experienced converter can help create exactly the product you need in the optimal form.

The benefits of a converter go beyond sizes and shapes. A converter can also laminate your product to different liners, use specific adhesives, treat your material,print something customized on your liner and much more.

One of the largest tape databases in the world can be found at TapeInfo.com. This might be a good place to start. As mentioned before, if you don't see exactly what you need or need help finding it, try contacting a converter.

What is peel adhesion?

I noticed "peel adhesion" on the data sheets of two of the tapes I am considering purchasing. What does this testing method show?

Peel adhesion is the relative adhesion to a surface. Results of this test are surface dependant and are heavily influenced by the testing angle, usually 90 degrees or 180 degrees.

Most of the time you will see "peel adhesion to stainless steel-180 degrees" on a data sheet. This means the tape was adhered to stainless steel, a substrate with polar surface energy. The tape will then be pulled off at 180 degrees. The force required to remove the tape is the peel adhesion and usually stated in onces per inch.

You need to consider the surface energy of the substrate you plan on adhering your product to when looking at peel adhesion. The results will not be the same for something more or less polar.