View A Video on Tape Suppliers - A Quick Introduction
Typically application-specific, many common types of tape consist of pressure sensitive adhesives, or adhesives that form a bond between the tape and the substrate when pressure is applied.
Masking tape consists of an easy-release pressure sensitive adhesive and is likewise easily-torn. Used in shipping applications to secure packages such as large envelopes, bags, cartons or boxes,
packaging tape consists of a heavy-duty pressure sensitive adhesive that prevents tearing, breaking, bursting or loosening.
Electrical tape is made from materials that do not conduct electricity, as well as having a pressure sensitive adhesive that insulates electrical wire and other electrical conduits.
Duct tape consists of a tacky and soft pressure sensitive adhesive that allows for versatility and holding power useful in applications such as water resistant sealing for military equipment. Some of the less common types of tape include
sealing tape,
marking tape, Gaffer's tape, various types of
printed tape and
3M tape. Another category of tape includes those that are defined by the material used to produce them, such as
vinyl tape,
PTFE tape,
foam tape and
foil tape. Literally every industry uses tape in one form or another, the only variance being what kind of specialized tape they use and why.
Sealing tape is a pressure sensitive adhesive tape that is used for closing or sealing slotted containers such as packing cartons or corrugated fiberboard boxes. This type of tape is particularly useful in warehousing industries. Marking tape is used to clearly identify areas and equipment in facilities such as manufacturing workshops and nuclear power plants. Gaffer's tape is typically used in the entertainment industry for applications such as securing cables and laying blocking markers. Printed tape is distinguished by the printing on the tape rather than a specific material construction. Two common types of printed tape include fragile tape and tamper evident tape. Tamper evident tape is most often used in security and containment applications. 3M tape differs from these other tapes since 3M tape is a brand of tape rather than a type of tape and encompasses a whole product line that is used in many different industries. The following tape types are defined by their material, which also lend themselves to different applications as a result of the individual characteristics of the material. Vinyl tape, for instance, has clean removal and excelled dead stretch, making it ideal for applications such as color coding, decoration, safety marking and identification. PTFE tape is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film that has been cut in thin strips primarily for use in sealing pipe threads. Foam tapes are particularly useful for gasketing, baffle, cushioning, sealing, insulation and other soundproofing applications, as well as in the medical industry. Foil tapes are often used in plating, shielding and eliminating chemical impacts caused by processes such as electroplating and chemical milling.
Tape is made in a relatively simple process called coating. Coating involves applying an adhesive to the carrier material. The carrier material can be any one of a variety of moderately thin flexible materials including films, paper tissues, cloth or metal foils. There are three main ways to coat the adhesive on the carrier: solvent coating, water-based coating and hot-melt coating. Solvent coating dissolves the adhesive into a solvent, creating a relatively non-viscous liquid that can be coated onto the material. The solvent is removed by passing the coated tape through a heated oven. Water-based coating mixes the adhesive with water to form emulsions, which are suspensions of small globs of one of the liquids in the second liquid. This solution is then coated onto the carrier. In the hot-melt coating process the adhesive is heated until it reaches its melting point and coats the carrier as a hot liquid. The coated tape is then cooled in order to become the finished tape. A finished sheet of tape may undergo a variety of converting processes. One such process is winding, in which the sheet of coated tape is wound and formed into a large roll of tape. The slitting process involves taking the huge roll of coated tape that is created during coating, and cutting it down into smaller strips of tape for sale. Once slit, the tape strips must undergo rewinding so that they are once more formed into rolls of tape. Tape can also undergo die cutting instead of slitting.
Since tape manufacturing is a fairly basic process, there have not been a lot of changes and advancements in the process itself. However, there has been some advancement in the types of materials used in tape manufacturing. Increased abilities in substrate manufacturing capabilities have lead to the development of thinner and thinner films that can be used to produce tape. An example would be aluminum foil tape, which is a fairly new type of foil tape. In addition, instead of the original single-coated tape, there is now double-coated tape. Double-coated tape is an adhesive tape that has been coated with adhesive on both sides of the carrier. This necessitates that one of the coated sides of tape must have two layers of silicone release paper laminated over it, with a liner in between the two areas, that acts as a release agent. Designed to stick two lightweight surfaces together, double sided tape is highly effective for bonding materials such as paper, plastic and cardboard; much more so than single coated tape. Advancements such as these will keep the tape industry rolling forward into the future, always ready to provide for the world's taping needs.
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Images Provided by Carolina Tape & Supply Corporation
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Tape Supplier Types
- is a
highly recognized brand name of tapes and adhesives used for innumerable
applications and industries.
- is used
for joining items with adhesive that coats the tape. It may be permanent
or temporary.
- is
often used to mark areas of caution within commercial, recreational
and industrial safety requirements.
- is
used for vapor sealing sheet metal ducts, fiberglass duct boards and
FSK systems because it uses a high temperature acrylic adhesive and
has great conformability.
- has
adhesive on both sides in order to attach things back to back.
- is
backed by fabric coated in polyethylene and has innumerable uses because
of its resistance to chemicals, water and abrasion. Some uses include
packaging, sealing, masking and many, many more.
- Electrical tape does
not conduct electricity and is used for insulation of transformers
and inter-phase or to wrap capacitors, coils and wires. It is also used to color-code wires in a system for easier accessibility.
- Foam tape is a type of tape that has a very strong adhesive on both sides, which may compare to the strength of sponge rubber. It is often used to weatherproof doors and windows.
- Foil tape, which is most commonly made from aluminum or copper, is employed in industries like aerospace and electronics because of its strong resistance to chemicals and extreme thermal conductivity.
- Marking tape is usually used on the floor, which means it is a durable and slip resistant material used often in commercial settings.
- Masking tape is
made of paper and uses a weaker adhesive so as to be removed without
stripping paint or paper from the wall to which it was attached. Often it is used in painting to cover areas not to be pained.
- does
not chemically attack whatever it is secured to.
- is
used to package boxes, cartons or containers, and is often able to
maintain adhesion after a long period of time, in extreme weather and
in extreme temperatures.
- Printed tape is categorized by the text that appears on it, which is usually used by the packaging and mailing industries to classify packages. Fragile, rush and repack are phrases often found on printed tape.
- PTFE tape is
inexpensive, thin, white and often used to seal water, gas and air
from leaking through threaded connections.
- Scotch Tape is a popular, transparent cellophane adhesive used in the home and office, manufactured by 3M.
- Sealing tapes are an effective guard against tearing, moisture and splitting and curling and is therefore used often in the packaging and mailing industries.
- Tamper evident tape is multi-layered and provides an obvious cue that tape has been detached from the surface of the box which it was keeping closed, thus deterring theft.
- adheres
to itself but does not fuse so that layers may be cleanly separated.
- usually
utilizes a cellulose-based backing and acrylic adhesive, and it is easy to see through.
- has
incredible resistance to extreme weather conditions, moisture, abrasion,
acids, corrosion and alkalies, and can be used in temperatures to 80
degrees Celsius.
Tape Supplier Terms
- Whether
or not tape can still function properly after experiencing rubbing and
friction.
- When two surfaces
are held together by the bond between a surface and an adhesive.
- Part of tape that
has adhesive applied. Backings may be paper, film, metal foil, cloth
and more.
- Whether or
not tape can make complete contact with a surface.
- The
adhesion of both sides of double-sided tape is different.
- When a tape can
be bent and flexed freely during an application, mostly in low-temperature
use.
- Openings between
layers of tape inside the roll.
- Ability of tape
to shrink back to original size once stretched.
- Resistant
to cracking when exposed to the ozone for an extended period of time.
- Thin coating
applied to tape backing so that tape can be controlled as it is unwound.
- Surface tape is
attached to.
Suspension Polymerization - A manufacturing process used to produce the PTFE in PTFE tape.
- Sticky feeling of tape.
- When the tape
layers are slid sideways and one over the other, in order to look like
a telescope or funnel.
