8 min read

Your Guide to 3M VHB Tape

By Sue Chambers on May 4, 2020 10:38:41 AM

Topics: 3M VHB Tape
3M VHB Tape

You've probably heard people say that tape is the solution to all of life's problems, and they're pretty much right. The right tape can fix any challenge that you throw its way and is quick to apply, so you can get back to doing your job. It's also very likely the solution you need at your company right now.

In any business, things are likely to break, be damaged, or simply need to be connected, and in your profession, this happens quite a bit, or maybe you just need two things permanently bonded. With the need to fasten and patch things together being a constant variable in your company, it only makes sense that you would want to buy into something that would handle the jobs you need to be taken care of so you can move on to the next task.

If this is the case for you, then you'll want to invest in 3M VHB double sided tape. 3M VHB is one of the strongest tapes ever put on the market, offering industrial power and tackling any challenge that you put it up against - and winning. But how can you be so sure that a piece of sticky tape is going to do the job you need to be done? Can VHB tape really hold up against the demanding tasks that you need to handle?

Not only can it hold up to the job, but it will deliver on any task. This article will discuss everything you need to know about 3M VHB tape, including what it is, what it's capable of doing, and why you seriously need to consider buying some for your business needs. Keep reading this article to find out more!

So, What Exactly is 3M VHB Tape?

There are many types of tape that are out on the market today. A lot of them are made to only hold simple household items, or make work in an office setting a bit easier. Others are for a specific use, such as professional painter's tape or reflective tape used on commercial vehicles. In any case, it's not often that you find a type of tape that's engineered to tackle the toughest challenges in the industry.

The 3M VHB industrial tape is an adhesive that's here to change the game.

VHB tape is a quick and efficient solution to both interior and exterior bonding solutions. And we don't mean it's a temporary fix until you find a better product; 3M tape is the solution. This adhesive tape is designed to be a permanent method to bond on practically any surface, including metal, wood, glass, and many surface energy plastics and paints.

3M VHB tape is created using an acrylic foam, which is naturally viscoelastic (in other words, it is very elastic but able to retain its strength properties while being stretched to fit around any object. This gives the foam energy absorbing and stress relaxing properties, which allows it to fit perfectly on any surface and even move with the item it is attached to.

The VHB tape also comes in many different subcategories, or "families" of adhesive types. Since no two jobs are the same, you can buy the specific 3M VHB tape that works for your conditions. For example, the '49' family is great for a broad range of surfaces including glass and plastics, while the '59' family is amazing for most powder coated plastics and the RP family is geared towards metals and mismatched surfaces.

For these reasons, 3M VHB double sided tape tends to be a constant go-to choice for many industrial uses and continues to help businesses create effective solutions to industrial problems.

Tolerance is critical (too much boosts costs; too little lowers quality).  Get your questions answered in this handy Q&A guide.

 

What Kinds of Benefits Can I Expect From 3M VHB Tape?

There are a ton of benefits that come with using 3M VHB tape, with many more uses for it being created as it continues to makes its name in the industry. We'll just list a few of the most popular reasons here.

1. It's One of the Toughest Things out There

This point must be stressed first and foremost. 3M VHB tape offers one of the strongest bonds out of any adhesive. In fact, VHB has been certified in the industry to have a very strong bond (it's literally in the name). Its adhesive properties alone give it an incredibly durable hold on any surface, but combined with its elastic properties, it can absorb the shock of any load, making it perfect for both static and dynamic operations.

Furthermore, the powerful adhesive mix in the tape allows it to hold strong and hold long. 3M VHB tape can stay in place for many years and will continue doing its job just as well as it did the first time it was applied.

2. It Can Work in Extreme Temperatures

Every product has a limit to the hot or cold conditions it can work in, and the same goes for tape. Most adhesives have a limited temperature range, with their cool spectrum capping off at 10 degrees Celcius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 3M VHB double sided tape is much more durable, being able to on average take on freezing temperatures of 0 degrees Celcius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The Tape Can Mold to Any Shape

You undoubtedly work with equipment that has a multitude of complex parts. More often than not, those parts are too challenging to fix properly with traditional adhesives, and fasteners have a fixed shape that may not completely fix the problem.

The VHB adhesive tape can make itself useful and fix any situation no matter what the matter is. The contouring abilities of the tape allow it to stretch, squeeze, and otherwise shape itself around any surface with ease, and its foam-based material helps it to flow into microscopic irregularities in the item and seal them all shut, guaranteeing a powerful and long-lasting bond.

4. You Can't See It

No, seriously. When you use 3M VHB 5952 tape, you won't be able to see a thing after you've put it on. That's because the tape is designed to go virtually invisible after application, so you can get results that look as smooth as they are. It's just another way that 3M VHB goes the extra mile for the customers.

5. You Can Use It to Combine Dissimilar Materials

You may find yourself limited with traditional adhesives and fasteners in concerns to what you can use them on. In most cases, fasteners are designed to only fit a specific way in a specific material, and even though adhesives can be used on a decent range of surfaces, they are still limited to certain types of bonding due to the materials they may be made out of.

3M VHB tape has no limitations. VHB tape can not only fasten together almost any surface you can throw at it, but it can also hold together surfaces made from entirely different materials with absolutely no problem. Feel free to combine metal with wood, wood with plastic, or anything else your heart desires; the VHB tape will hold it together and offer you guaranteed security.

6. It Offers Double the Power

The 3M VHB tape comes with not one, but two sides of adhesive sticking power, so you can get double the strength and double the power from every use. This means that it doesn't just cover up cracks or fasten small sections; the VHB tape can combine whole parts together using both of its sides, offering its strength to complete even the biggest projects.

Why Should I Switch 3M VHB Tape With My Usual Fasteners?

We know that you've grown quite fond of your traditional fasteners, and tradition is a great thing to have. However, sometimes change is necessary to do more and upgrade your business to new heights. With 3M VHB tape, that's exactly what you can expect. Here are a few reasons you'll want to switch things up.

1. It's Very Cost-Efficient

Have you ever tallied how much you spend on all of your rivets, clamps, bolts, and other holds and fasteners? You probably haven't, but we're pretty sure it's quite a bit - so much that you're better off not looking at the numbers for fear of cringing.

Buying 3M VHB tape is as cheap as you can get when it comes to fasteners - but that doesn't mean it's a low-quality product in any way. In fact, VHB tape is on par with (and arguably better than) almost any other fastening product currently on the market, helping you take care of your problems for only a fraction of the price.

2. One Size Fits All

Not only can fasteners be a drain on the wallet, but they can also be cumbersome, hard to find when you need them, and easy to lose when you have them. This can cause delays in work progress, and make it difficult to complete the objective at hand.

With VHB tape, your chances of being caught in this problem are drastically reduced. The adhesive tape can work in the place of a fastener for almost any project; simply grab the tape, place or wrap it around the material, and voila! The problem is solved, and the material can be used as soon as the tape has finished bonding to the surface.

3. No Need for the Extra Mechanical Work

Let's say you want to use a new fastener to connect two pieces, but these pieces don't have the proper female counterparts to easily place the fasteners into. To connect them, you'll have to modify the pieces so the fastener can fit properly. This could end up causing more problems than it's worth.

Drilling, riveting, welding, and other forms of parts modification are very time-consuming to complete, especially if you don't have the equipment or know-how to do it by yourself on-site. That's not to mention you may also need to modify the type of fastener you use, which could mean getting a custom manufacturing job done. All of this leads to an unnecessary waste of time and money.

3M VHB tape doesn't need any of these modifications, professional workmanship, or extra cash to work its wonders. It's really as simple as placing a strip of tape along the areas that need bonding, and that's that. The only "extra" in this equation is that it's extra fast.

Get Your Own Tape Today

It's clear that 3m VHB tape is one of the best adhesive and fastening solutions ever offered on the industrial market, and having some of your own would only benefit your business tenfold. Simply put, it's time to dump the traditional fasteners and go for the modern fix. Make sure you don't miss out on this incredible piece of equipment and buy your tape today. You won't regret making the switch!

We're Here to Lend a Hand

Now that you know all about the benefits of 3M VHB tape, you should have no problem deciding on whether or not you should buy it for your business. The next step is figuring out where to go to buy the tape that you need. Luckily for you, we can help you out with that.

At Strouse, what we offer is more than just tape; we give companies like yours a solution to any challenge that you happen to come up against, and one that's bound to continue giving you the results that you want every time. Not only can we help you select the right 3M VHB tape for your job, but we can provide it in a format that is most conducive to your process, whether that is in rolls, die cuts, sheets or multi stack lamination. We offer 3M VHB double sided tape, as well as tape masking solutions, medical device adhesives, surface protecting tape, industrial and fastener tape, and so much more.

Our products work so well and our brand is so popular that we're able to work in many industries, including the aerospace, automotive, electronics, industrial, medical, and military and defense industries. It's clear that what we have to offer is a benefit to all who decide to use our brand.

Want to learn more? Feel like giving us a chat? Simply reach out to us with a call or a message, and we'll be sure to get back in touch with you to answer any questions you may have. Better yet, ask us about how to get your hands on our samples, so you can test out our products and see the results with your own eyes. We look forward to hearing from you and helping your business succeed!

Sue Chambers

Written by Sue Chambers

As the CEO and President of Strouse Corporation, Sue Chambers is responsible for leading all facets of the business. Sue has a proven executive management track record and over 20 years of experience driving sales growth and operational innovation in the adhesive conversion industry. Sue possesses strong leadership, strategic vision, and savvy marketing skills. Sue has an MBA from Loyola University in Maryland. Since 1997 Sue Chambers joined Strouse and led the transformation into an enterprise-focused company while growing the company into a world leader in the innovative production of pressure-sensitive adhesive with revenue of over 20 million and growing. In the last three years, Strouse revenue has grown 62%; the number of employees has grown and continues to achieve and maintain ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certification. Strouse built a new production plant going from 40,000 to 62,500 square feet, increasing the production space by 50%. The building also can expand to 82,500 sq. Feet. Sue is active in the community serving on the Industrial Development Board presently and earning several business awards over the years. Most recently, 3M has recognized Strouse as a supplier of the year. She is also on the Dale Chambers Foundation board that raises money for local charities in the community.

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