CONVERTING NEWS
AND INSIGHTS

You’re rushing out the door for work when you realize you forgot to pack your children’s lunches. Frantically, you scribble ‘PLEASE FEED KIDS’ on a sticky note and slap it onto the fridge for your unsuspecting partner to find. 

You’ve reached the product development phase where you’re looking for material: congratulations! It’s time to cover your eyes and press order on the first tape you see online… Or not.

Have you ever stopped and thought to yourself, “Gee, I wonder if I should mount this painting with tape or just use nails as my bonding solution…” 

You’ve just purchased your brand new car, and you’re excited to drive off the lot when you notice a huge scratch arcing down the side. The big mistake? A lack of protective film. 

You’re ten minutes into scrolling through an endless deluge of company websites when you consider going on break:

Q: “Hey, can you make me two gaskets?”

It’s your fourth attempt at peeling the adhesive part off of a liner, but your fingers keep sliding around like a useless claw machine.

Are there changes you could make to better your current product or process? 

For a moment, you might think there’s something wrong with your die cut quote: why does your unit price drop as the part quantity increases?

The meeting with your potential converter goes smoothly until they ask you a question that makes you think:

According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, the U.S. currently has more than 58,000 public alternative fueling stations, which is a shocking increase of over 2,000 from their data of just three months prior. 

Your eyes burn as you stare at the computer screen, locked in a furious match with an email. The problem? Tooling costs.

You’re pulling your hair, clenching your teeth, and performing every stress-reducing technique to calm yourself down after yet another delay.

After days of mulling over your die cut quote, you finally send back a confirmation. However, the relief you feel is overshadowed by the inevitable twinge of anxiety in the back of your mind.

The beginning of a custom die cut converting project usually goes something like this:

You’ve just submitted a drawing of your die cut part, and you’re feeling proud of yourself for a well-done job. Except, within a minute or so, your computer chimes with an email:

Did you know your tape has an expiration date?

You’ve eaten a hearty breakfast, sat in your comfortable office chair, and are ready to have a highly productive introductory meeting with Strouse. Or so you think.

Things were going excellent with your new converter until you reviewed the quote they sent you. Now, you’re stunned– why is there such a hefty price tag on tooling? 

Imagine you go to the store to buy a coffee mug, and the workers say they'll have to try forging one in a kiln first. 

You’ve finally summoned the courage to get a sample of your adhesive part, yet, the longer you’re left waiting for a response, you’re left wondering what the sample-making process will look like and how quickly you’ll receive it.

A wave of relief crashes into you as you press the Get Your Free Quote button on the request a quote page. 

As you settle at your desk with a fresh cup of coffee in your hand, you find yourself asking,

Supplying your own material is like knocking on the pilot’s door and offering to be a co-pilot. However, unlike piloting, supplying your own material might be your best decision under the right circumstances.

The birds are singing, the weather is bright and cheerful, and the only thing that could improve this day is reading and signing a lengthy legal document. 

What would you do if someone handed you a penny, and a pair of scissors, then told you to “get to work”?

It’s a Monday morning, and you’re staring at your latest quote in confusion. After a long sigh, you crack your knuckles and draft an email:

Nothing is more draining than opening up the email for your custom tape quote, only to stare at it, thinking, What am I looking at?

You’re cradling the perfect idea in your hands like a delicate baby bird when suddenly it hits you: Am I ready to talk to an adhesive converter?

In 2019, I visited Montana because my Texan family decided to go skiing for the first time in years. 

The estimated global hydrogel market size was US $2.7 billion in 2021: Within one year, it was forecasted to increase by over $1.2 billion. 

Have you ever used the wrong type of adhesive?

What would you do if your boss emailed you a picture of a circle without context?

What’s the point in having adhesive tape if you don’t know how to properly store it?

Imagine you were at the hospital, and the surgeon grabbed a roll of duct tape to apply a wound dressing. You’d be understandably alarmed!

If you’re tired of breaking out the drill or getting messy with liquid adhesives but still want a great result, VHB foam mounting tape is your best bet. 

It’s been a long day of sobbing over exponential graphs and pulling your hair, but you’re still unsure how to achieve the next step in your growth process.

When submitting your tolerances, it’s tempting to take your drawing and throw on title block tolerances without much of a second thought– My converter can either make it or not!

You’re sitting at your desk with a dazed expression, overcome by disbelief after a frantic exchange of emails. 

Before diving into this exceptional substance's many uses, let’s start with the basics: “What is hydrogel?” 

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

“Hi, I’d like to order 1,000 custom die cut pieces.”

Adhesive Transfer Tape serves various purposes like laminating parts, aesthetic attachments, gasket bonding, sound dampening, and more. 

Thermal insulation tape, like all thermal insulation materials, reduces the amount of heat transfer between objects. The most widely known application of this concept is the insulation that goes in houses to save money on energy.

Conductive adhesives are essential to fuel cell manufacturing, automotive, and consumer electronics.  

You’re working on a project, and the question springs up, “What material should we use?” Suddenly, you start considering every material you know. 

When you’re working with painted metal and need to use an adhesive, rest assured that 3M’s 5952 adhesive tape is a solid choice.

Many flexible material converters become partners with manufacturers in the automotive industry, a highly competitive environment where precision is necessary. The vehicle building process can be compared to die cut adhesives. 

Have you noticed die cut foam tape in your daily life? 

The injury healing process can be long and painful whether wounds are open or closed, shallow or deep. 

Nobody yearns to spend hours scrolling through datasheets for the best hook and loop adhesives. 

Have you ever spent seemingly endless time lining up strips of masking tape?

Double-sided tape is a tape that bonds multiple substrates to either side, often different types of surfaces with other types of adhesives.

Although converters are often tasked with cutting materials, the printing process has become a simultaneous step in die cutting for branding, instructions, and warranty information.

Choosing materials is one of the hardest parts of the converting process.

When you think of healthcare supplies, which comes to mind first: A stethoscope to hear a heartbeat? A syringe to give a needed shot? Perhaps even the "Ahhhhhh, open wide" tongue depressor!

Have you ever wondered how exactly tape works?

Electrically conductive transfer tape has been used for years to avoid causing messes with thermal glue.

Regardless of the type of material, it should always fit the needs of the project you’re embarking upon.

When purchasing tape in the past, you may have noticed the term “application temperature” in its description.

OK, here’s the tagline: Die cut adhesives are incredibly versatile and can solve business challenges in various industries.

Humans want access to the most advanced technology.

EPDM rubber is known for its UV light resistance, but there are other reasons EPDM gaskets are used in the construction and automotive industries, right?

Polyurethanes are the largest class of polymers worldwide, with a global market of $79 Billion. As a class, it’s rapidly expanding.

Breakthroughs in materials science continue to add opportunities for innovation in materials science and global industries, and taking advantage of those opportunities yields a big reward.

Just ask the electric vehicle industry. Top EV companies increasingly use polymer foam as a thermal interface. This keeps powerful Li-ION batteries safe and prevents them from overheating in electric vehicles.

PORON foam is one such groundbreaking material.

With most of the world connected online, innovation might seem like a labyrinth of endless ideas.

Nature gave us one of the best gasket materials possible — rubber. Natural rubber can stretch and has the same elasticity in all directions, something wholly unique to the material. 

Precision die cutting has existed for over a hundred years, yet the technology is still developing, and the industry continues to grow.

In 2021, the global gaskets and seals market reached a US $60.2 billion value.

People are often confused about die cuts and kiss cuts, but what's the difference?

Kiss cutting allows us to engineer more complexity and functionality into customer solutions while keeping costs low, especially with pressure-sensitive materials.

There are so many options to choose from when looking for the right gasket; how do you know where to begin?

You may have heard the term in manufacturing before, but let’s define it: What is die cutting?

You’ve got a part that needs to be bonded, masked, protected, etc., so you must add adhesive, films, foams, or soft metals to your assembly. The raw material must be cut into a particular shape to generate a finished product. However, nobody has the time to sit around and fiddle with a pair of scissors. So, what’s the solution?

The gasket industry is a large and thriving industry. In the United States, the gasket industry generates annual revenue of about $8 billion. 

In recent years, the gasket industry has been shifting how it approaches the manufacture of gaskets. The gasket industry often used asbestos to manufacture gaskets in the past. Because of its abundance and unique texture, gasket material would often contain up to 80% white asbestos

Transdermal patches are a modern medical marvel. They provide a convenient way to deliver medicine to people consistently and efficiently with little disruption to their routines, and in a small package to boot! Depending on the patch, a person might be able to stick it on to start the week and leave it there for several days, which is far more convenient than starting the morning by popping a few pills.

Still, a lot goes into making sure the drug contained within the patch gets administered to the patient as prescribed. If the patch isn’t designed and constructed to medicate the patient properly via the skin, it’s a bust — if not dangerous. Let’s look at 6 factors that impact transdermal patch delivery systems.

Remember skinning your knee when you were a kid? As inexplicable as it was that you didn’t pull off that amazing move on your bicycle that you’d been practicing all day, it was nice to have something available to help you heal. If a standard bandage wasn’t up to the task, you may have relied on some gauze and wound dressing tape to do the trick.

In addition to being found in homes, medical professionals also count on it for much more severe concerns in doctors’ offices and hospitals worldwide. With wound dressings, you have the adhesive, backing, and gauze (if needed) that must all work together to protect and assist with the healing of injuries, surgical incisions, and more.

When something works well, you likely won’t even notice. In the manufacturing world, well-running machines result from precise engineering with the right components to make for a smooth, dependable, and quiet experience. When it comes time to build those machines and consider such parts as an industrial gasket, it’s vital to ensure the right pieces are in the right spots and made to tight tolerances for the most accurate fit.

In your search for the right gasket material, you’ll find an abundance of options. What is gasket material, and what material will you need? Before you engineer your next flexible material, read our overview of gasket materials to see what might work best.

“Tape? Spray? Glue? What should I do?” Rhyming questions aside, when considering all the materials needed for a successful custom gasket, it is crucial to factor in the type of adhesive needed. 

The right adhesive depends on numerous factors:

• the purpose of the gasket (permanent seal vs. temporary seal)
• the composition of the material it’s bonding to (natural rubber? foam? steel?)
• what the gasket is meant to contain (water? chemicals? air?)

You have several adhesive types to consider for the task. The most common gasket adhesives are gasket glue, spray, liquid, and gasket tape. Each adhesive type has its own unique characteristics that must be understood before calling on them for your gasketing project.

What are the advantages of using a transdermal patch?

If you’ve seen advertisements for a nicotine patch, then you’ve already gotten a glimpse of where adhesive patches and transdermal absorption fit within our modern world. That, however, is far from the only use these small-but-important medical items have.

The development of adhesive patches to medicate people is one of the most impressive medical advancements of our time. Over the years, it’s become clear that this method has numerous advantages. We wanted to look at five key benefits of adhesive patches and transdermal absorption and where the adhesive component fits in the process.

“High temperature” in the industrial world means something entirely different than what you’ll see during the evening weather forecast. When machines are working hard to create products or keep operations running smoothly, moving parts, chemical reactions, and even the substances being used can conjure up scorching temperatures that must be kept in check. 

When you account for these extreme temperatures with the proper equipment, including a suitable gasketing material, you can keep productivity moving at a regular pace. To illustrate this, we’ve gathered the top 5 benefits of using heat-resistant gasket material for your reference.

Simply put, a gasket seal prevents a liquid or air (most often) from going somewhere you don’t want it to go or doing something you don’t want it to do.

Gaskets can be made of metal, plastic, silicone, polymers, neoprene, foam, or rubber. A majority of the time, an adhesive holds them in place, depending on the application (of which there are literally thousands). Yet, not all gasket applications require an adhesive. For instance, some are held on by mechanical fasteners: bolts (classic car engine) or screws (watch).

None of this is news to you, likely, but here’s something new. Think of gaskets as the function it performs, not the construction of the piece itself (its material or shape). So, a gasket can simply be a piece of 3M VHB tape used in a cell phone screen to prevent rainwater from entering, or a piece of double sided tape used within a membrane switch touch panel.

Manufacturers rely on adhesive tape converters to provide accurate and high-performing adhesive components that add value to projects. Converters with decades of custom adhesive solutions experience — most often full-service adhesive tape converters — put a premium on ensuring that finished components/products also drive businesses’ bottom lines.

There is no single, specific treatment for a wound. Because they vary in type, severity, and location, each wound dressing must be designed and constructed to help heal that wound — whether it’s a cut, burn, sore, etc. — as well as prevent infection and reduce pain.

Similarly, the adhesives used for wound dressings must also be selected based on how each wound dressing is built and the environment in which it will perform.

An adhesive in a wound dressing product has two main goals: stick to human skin and be removed from that same skin. Sounds simple, but there’s a lot more involved that challenges flexible material converters.

Convenience is everything in our modern world. Being able to quickly and easily create a reliable and reclosable attachment between two substrates could cause a revolution.

That’s what happened when the original patent (1958) of hook and loop tape — Velcro^® — expired, ushering in incredible innovations and instant popularity in the early 1980s. Soon it was on sneakers, vehicles, astronaut suits, airline seat cushions, blood-pressure cuffs, and much more.

While hook and loop tape’s adhesive/protective liner backing makes it very versatile, another “reclosable fastener” (a device that allows for repeated opening and closing) — dual lock tape — is seen as an improvement on the original hook and loop tape. For demanding projects, there is industrial strength hook and loop tape; however, dual lock tape is naturally stronger.

Attaching one substrate to another.

It shouldn’t be that difficult. And usually, it isn’t. Yet, when the application is a medical diagnostic device, for instance, things can get complicated.

Consider a device that attaches to a patient’s skin, a “wearable.” That adhesive system must be chosen wisely, with care given to how long it will be on the skin, how conformable it needs to be, what conditions it will encounter, and whether the adhesive needs to be medical grade (hint: it usually does; more on this later).

Many different types of medical adhesive tapes are used in many sorts of situations and for various applications. The ultimate decision is based on a tape that meets the specific performance need, and that often is a double-sided medical tape.

I bet wherever you’re reading this blog article, at this very moment, you’re within an arm’s length of pressure sensitive adhesive tape (or PSA tape) in some form.

That’s how prevalent its use is in our modern world. And for good reason! PSA tape has helped change how we spend our days and has improved (and saved!) lives. It’s so important that we previously dedicated a 3-part series to pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

In this blog article, let’s touch on some of the many ways adhesive tape is used (we included 10) and how often you likely use it without even knowing.

Are you looking for a strong and versatile adhesive to help get things done?

When inspiration hits like lightning, the result can be a cutting-edge electronics product. From smartphones to HDTV screens to marine navigation systems, electronics manufacturers rely on the thinnest products in 3M’s VHB portfolio to fit into electronic assemblies, places where thick VHBs cannot fit.

Electronic device engineers know space usually isn’t the only challenge. Modern electronics bonding solutions often must address impact resistance, waterproofing, heat resistance, and/or reworkability to create a device with reliable functionality. In addition to overall performance, some surfaces — paints, metals, low surface energy plastics — are hard to bond and require unique acrylic foam tapes such as 3M VHB tape.

When a spark of creativity results in devices optimized for the IoT, 5G, and beyond, specialized VHB tape is often needed as well. This article dives deeper into how pressure sensitive adhesive converters meet the high standards of the electronics industry today and into the future.

Few things are more rewarding than taking material and transforming it into a product. It’s what manufacturing is all about. Raw materials are impressive, but they’re not exactly something people actually want or can easily use.

An adhesive converter typically takes large rolls of raw material — tape, films, paper, plastic, foam, soft metals, and more — and “converts” them into usable parts. As technologically advanced as the materials themselves may be, the large, continuous rolls (called master rolls) provided by a manufacturer (such as 3M) are of practically no use to customers; they’re too large to handle, not the right shape or size, or the material isn’t finished the way it needs to be.

Microfluidic technology involves moving tiny amounts of liquids to perform various functions: ink in an inkjet printer, solder on an electronics board, bodily fluids within a medical device to perform chemical analyses. The use of this technology isn’t exactly new, but its popularity is rapidly rising.

Multilayered microfluidic devices — the majority of microfluidic devices — typically have channels built into the device through which the specific amount of fluid flows at a particular speed and path. Construction is accomplished by either adding channels between layers or subtracting material from a solid sheet to form channels. These individual layers eventually need to come together in one usable package or device.

Gaskets are everywhere. They’re in your car, at work, even in the air! A gasket is a common term used to describe any seal or grommet that holds two things together. You can make gaskets from rubber, plastic, metal, and other materials. The material choice depends on why you need to use a gasket.

High-speed. Accurate. Versatile. You want your die cutting method to fulfill your needs because it’s an essential part of manufacturing. Realistically, however, you may have to make some choices based on the project’s priorities. High precision or high volume? Super speed or complex cuts? Low cost or low maintenance?

Automotive manufacturers are throwing away thousands of dollars a month in rework costs.

Gaskets have many essential responsibilities. In fluid processing and handling equipment, they create a pressure-tight seal between two surfaces — preventing fluids from escaping and preventing contaminants from intruding. Plus, they insulate, cushion, and reduce noise. Not much to ask, right?

Let’s imagine you’ve created a new electronic good! This product is amazing, and you would love to show it to the world. But what if the battery catches on fire? That would mean a lot of faulty products and unhappy customers. Worst of all, you will get a bad reputation and potentially even lawsuits.

You have adhesive options.

Two of today’s most popular are adhesive tape and liquid adhesive. Of course, both have their advantages and drawbacks. Let’s not waste any time. We provide the pros and cons for an attribute of each, and you make the call. Your quick comparison checklist starts right now!

Doing things properly when converting pressure sensitive adhesives is essential. Yet avoiding poor adhesive or the wrong process is just as vital. But you might say, “C’mon, it’s just adhesive. How significant could the consequences possibly be for making the wrong choice?” Well, read these product examples:

Joining two surfaces together.

It doesn’t sound that difficult. Yet, depending on the substrates and the performance demanded of that adhesive bond, it can be pretty tricky.

Historically, mechanical fasteners of all kinds — rivets, brackets, bolts, screws, retaining rings — have been used to “permanently” bond two substrates. But, these are not low-profile, plus their weight and likelihood to corrode increases the possibility of bond failure.

Many industrial bonding adhesives are low profile, including 3M™ VHB™ and acrylic foam tapes, which evenly distribute pressure along the substrates and enhance aesthetics.

For decades, engineers have had to deal with the downsides of many permanent bonding materials:

• Screws, bolts, and mechanical fasteners significantly increase weight
• Rivets punch through a material, are uneven, and create vulnerable stress points
• Welding is time-consuming and disruptive in an otherwise efficient assembly process
• Liquid and spray adhesives are tedious, time-consuming, and messy
  
  

Gaskets — whether adhesives, foam, metal, cork, rubber, paper, or another material — are substrates used to perform two essential functions: 1) create a pressure-tight barrier/seal between two stationary surfaces and 2) use superior adhesives on these difficult-to-bond surfaces.

Pressure sensitive adhesive tape has become the preferred solution for many adhesive needs. Its flexibility, strength, design, and versatility provide many assembly advantages. It’s so impressive, we recently ran this 3-part blog series.

As we explored in the first article in that series, engineers have used many solutions — each with their own limitations — to bond materials. The right pressure sensitive adhesive tape can replace these inefficient options and add additional benefits: evenly distributing pressure, converting to custom sizes/shapes, adding design aesthetics, and more.

Permanent bonding projects take on various formats and requirements. The one thing true in all cases is the need for putting two items together so they don’t come apart. Regardless of how well the surfaces match or mismatch, they must be bonded to hold for the long term.

Thin bonding is a huge category of adhesives with many applications, so we’re continuing our efforts to share what we know in our ongoing series. You’re invited to check out an overview of thin bonding and details about double sided tape.

The world of adhesive materials within flexible material converting continues to expand and change. As technology overall evolves, so does the ability of adhesives to bond two or more substrates together.

The world of adhesive technology is an exciting place these days! Adhesive manufacturers are pushing the limits of science and technology, and the industry is enjoying:
• Product advancements and innovations
• New, sophisticated converting equipment
• Improved production rates, reduced labor costs, minimized waste, less rework

Unsolvable application challenges are now being solved as manufacturers look to use new materials in their processes and products. Yet, technological advancements on their own aren’t worth much. They require industry knowledge and insights from an expert adhesive converter to capitalize on advances in technology.

NOTE: This article, #2 in an ongoing blog series on thin bonding, focuses on double sided tape. To read the series kickoff, an overview on thin bonding, click here.

Of the two main thin bonding types — double sided tape and adhesive transfer tape — double sided tape is the most converter-friendly, allowing for many manufacturing processes with few limitations. Having a carrier provides stability that makes the tape easier to handle and convert into small shapes and parts.

There’s often a fine line between health and illness. Microfluidic devices detect important samples of fluids that provide crucial information to patients and their caregivers.

However, microfluidics requires the right materials to ensure accuracy as these critical tools are designed, manufactured, and assembled. Usually small with intricate channels and circuits, microfluidic devices require the exact right material properties.

Welcome to our ongoing blog series featuring the many advantages of thin bonding. If you’re looking for specific information on double sided tape, click here.

Why dedicate so much attention and digital space to thin bonding? Because it’s a virtually invisible, super-strong bond for nearly any material in almost every industry. And that just begins to tell the story of thin bonding. There are so many benefits; we need an ongoing series to share them all.

Towering redwoods. Majestic mountain peaks. Complex cloud formations. As we take moments to appreciate nature’s large displays of beauty, many of us rarely recognize small engineering feats that allow us to live comfortable lives.

The study of microfluidics contributes significantly to many fields that affect our daily lives. For instance, microfluidic devices carry tiny amounts of fluid that give caregivers and patients accurate test results, from monitoring blood glucose to detecting pathogens.

If you don’t already know about microfluidics, this article is an excellent look at the power of such tiny wonders. We’ll explore the basics of microfluidics, what microfluidic devices are used for, and how to make a microfluidic chip. Ready?

These days, more and more industries are making use of low surface energy plastics in their production. These are materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene that are becoming more common. The trouble with LSEs such as these is that traditional bonding materials refuse to stick to them. 

Automation isn’t the future. It’s here today, and without using it wisely, most companies are at a competitive disadvantage. Yet, automation isn’t an “all or nothing” decision. There are levels of automation, especially in converting, that make it easier to start working smarter and more efficiently.

This article explores various automation levels and uses examples to magnify the importance of automation within everyday converting projects.

If you're in the electrical trade, you've probably used Polyimide tape before. You might know it under a different name, though: Kapton tape.

Polyimide tape, or Kapton tape, has a ton of benefits when it comes to the electrical side of any given industry. If you want to know more about polyimide tape, keep reading. You'll be a certified polyimide master by the end.

Doctor Horace Day is credited with the invention of the first tape in 1845. As a doctor using this invention in medicine it was called surgical tape. Dr. Day used a rubberized material applied to strips of fabric and the surgical tape was born. 

Welcome to the conclusion of our 3-part series on pressure sensitive adhesive tape. In Part 1, we discussed PSA’s performance and versatility, and Part 2 covered 3M™ VHB™ tape as a superior bonding solution.

Today, our topic is not PSA tape itself, but rather the importance of the adhesive converter that takes raw material and transforms it into a usable, valuable product. We’ve broken our exploration into four segments, each critically important to successful use of pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

Do more with less.

If you’re a manufacturer, you know this has been the expectation for years.

Manufacturers have experienced many pressures that affect their operations and bottom line. One way to adapt is to optimize inventory; truly understanding inventory levels and discovering efficiency opportunities through use of automated component tracking systems that enable end-to-end traceability of individual components.

This level of tracking can improve assembly line performance, help identify defects in products during manufacturing, improve overall quality, increase production yields, and more. However, in order to track components, labels need to be readable by automated tracking machines. That’s when PCB labels become so vital.

Microfluidics’ ability to perform chemical analyses of small volumes of fluids have reduced hospital visits and overall healthcare expenditures. And, their use is rising rapidly.

Some complex products require specific manufacturing processes to ensure their safety and reliable performance. What kind of performance? Well, in medical applications, particles in the air as well as the air’s moisture level can lead to bacteria growth that alters adhesion in a medical product applied directly to the skin.

Obviously, “bacteria” and “medical product” never go hand-in-hand. Combatting this possibility (and many others within numerous industries) requires the use of a cleanroom. Impurities of many types — dust/smoke, equipment, microorganisms, inadequate air quality, human error, and others — can cause defects in many products.

How “clean” does a cleanroom need to be? Classifications have been established using the ISO classification system ISO 14644-1 and are rated by the cleanliness level of the air inside the room. The most common ISO classes (ISO 7 and ISO 8) indicate the level of cleanliness of the room based on the quantity and size of particles per volume of air.

In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of ISO cleanroom certification, the industries most affected by cleanrooms, and the importance of your converting partner being certified.

A converted product’s carrier or backing material is one of the most important decisions when designing pressure sensitive adhesives. The carrier has to possess the right qualities to match the application (will it be hand applied or automatically dispensed?) and the processing (will it be slit or die-cut?).

Recently, we explored the basics of release liners in this article. In today’s blog post, we’ll dive into the physical components of backing (or “carrier;” we’ll use both terms throughout) and how it helps the converting process.

NOTE: This is Part 2 of a 3-part series on Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tape. Read Part 1 — which features PSA’s performance and versatility — in the Strouse blog. Also, check out Part 3 in the series on choosing a converter.

When it comes to bonding applications, there’s no shortage of options: screws, bolts, mechanical fasteners, rivets, welding, liquid adhesives, and more. We recently covered the history of bonding options; what adhesive bonding is and how it’s changed over time. Read that here.

Strict deadlines. Tight budgets. Performance demands. The pressure is on design engineers who face numerous challenges and decisions during every step of a project. One tough decision is selecting a bonding application solution.

Adhesive bonding is the process of bringing two or more surfaces together using a viscous substance. To select the right one, modern manufacturers need to consider the adhesive performance of each substance as well as any assembly advantages a solution may possess.

The stress is on.

You’re under pressure to create the best possible product. That includes choosing the right material, the right adhesive, the right format, the right elongation at break percentage … even the right converter!

That’s because you know your product will be under pressure, too. It has to perform with a certain tensile strength — the maximum force or stress a material can withstand while being pulled apart from both ends before failing. That’s why it’s also called “breaking strength.”

NOTE: This article is #1 in a 3-part series on the power and versatility of pressure sensitive adhesive tape. It’s really a celebration of applications and possibilities. Part 2 covers 3M™ VHB™ tape as a superior bonding solution, and Part 3 offers help on choosing a converter.

When manufacturers need to bring together two or more surfaces, either temporarily or permanently, they often choose to use a viscous substance — adhesive bonding — because of its many assembly advantages and versatility. The materials used to do this could be adhesive tape, adhesive film, glue, epoxy, or something else, however, pressure sensitive adhesive tape (PSA) is becoming increasingly popular.

Excellence.

Every business wants to achieve it, and every business wants to partner with other businesses that achieve it. And while saying you have it is easy, being recognized for it by an industry leader is quite another thing.

For companies in the converting industry, being honored for excellence by 3M is the top of the top. It shouts to the world that a converter deeply understands the industry leader, and the industry leader trusts them.

This article explores the origins of the 3M Preferred Converter program, digs into why it matters in a highly competitive marketplace, and shares why customers should care.

Of course, as a converter of flexible materials we love to talk about pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA). However the unsung hero of the adhesive world may be the release liner (often called “carrier” or “backing”). This is the product — typically a coated paper or film — that carries the sticky material and serves as a protective covering until the pressure sensitive adhesive is needed. Think of the shiny paper that carries a sticker or label.

A release liner’s base may be paper, polycoated paper, film, or even a metalized film. The liner can be coated with silicone or non-silicone to ease separation from the adhesive. It all depends on the precise delivery and dispensing system needed for the application.

In many cases, the release liner is one of the most critical decisions when designing a PSA. It has to have the right qualities and features to precisely match the application (hand applied or automatic dispensing) and processing (slitting, die-cutting, etc.).

The good news is you have options.

Although small in size, microfluidic devices carry an enormous burden. Patients and caregivers rely on them for accurate test results and crucial information at the point-of-care. They screen for cancer, monitor blood glucose, detect pathogens. As they transport and protect samples of blood or other fluids, consistent and reliable performance is imperative. What could be more important?

Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) are considered a crucial part of any efficient thermal management system. Their job is to transfer heat between two or more solid surfaces.

Today, thermal interface materials include an array of products, including phase change materials, gap fillers, and thermal grease. There are also less compliant materials, such as thermally conductive hardware, adhesive films, and thermal rubber pads.

Many electronics products require specific adhesives that dissipate heat. Thermal interface materials (a combination of high-performance acrylic adhesive and highly conductive ceramic particles) enhance performance by minimizing reliability concerns and reduced operational lifetimes that are often affected by heat.

Is your paint process one of the most scrutinized steps in your entire assembly process?

How’s that department performing? Experiencing any bottlenecks?

Whether manufacturing for automotive, military, aerospace, industrial, or electronics, every industry expects the highest quality product. And, with the painting process usually being quite complex, there can be many delays and rework.

Have you ever seen this spec listed on a material data sheet? 

“Elongation at Break %”

To understand it, and realize why it’s important in adhesives, let’s first tackle two definitions.

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If radio waves and signals were visible and tangible, you wouldn't be able to move from one end of your home to another without tripping. The very device from which you're reading this article probably has a wireless signal.

Any time a mechanism requires superior barrier and bonding features, gaskets are ideal. However, these handy devices are far from one-size-fits-all.

While many gaskets are comprised of flat materials such as paper, rubber, metal, silicone, felt, and neoprene, foam delivers impressive sealing capabilities that are important to know.

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.

Strouse is proud to now offer two versions of a face shield that are made entirely in Westminster, MD. Both masks offer a soft foam headband, anti-fog PET, one size fits all adjust-ability, and latex free materials. We've designed the construction of these masks to be fully automated on our presses. 

A heat activated adhesive is a type of adhesive, usually applied to a tape backing, that will not bond at normal temperatures. Instead, it becomes sticky in certain temperatures, wherein the adhesive chemicals are activated and can form a bond.

If you're someone who likes to get your hands dirty and create new things, you're far from alone. In fact, the US craft industry is worth over $44 billion. If you're someone who's contributed to this booming economy, then it's likely that you've used die cutting services before in your arts and crafts- or at least have heard of them before.

About every 11 years the sun's magnetic field flips. North becomes south and south becomes north. This change causes solar storms on the sun's surface that send solar flares careening towards Earth.

Strouse, an industry leading adhesive tape converter and custom manufacturer is proud to announce its medical device establishment registration with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The registration builds on Strouse’s wide range of adhesive tape converting capabilities and allows for deeper penetration into medical device projects and the overall medical and healthcare market. 

Earlier this month, Strouse reached a milestone that spans almost 3 years’ time. Our team achieved 1,000 consecutive days with no lost time accidents, meaning that no employee has lost time due to an accident in the workplace.

Westminster, MD – Four Carroll County manufacturers were among the honored companies and over 600 guests at the Regional Manufacturing Institute’s Champions of Maryland Manufacturing Gala held at Martin’s West in Baltimore on November 29th.

The Carroll County Department of Economic Development was recognized as a Bronze sponsor along with Find Solid Corporation (trading as FISO Door) – the newest manufacturer in Carroll County. CEO Hao Ling attended the gala along with several members of his management team and said, “FISO Door is honored to be recognized as Carroll County’s newest manufacturer and we are gearing up for full production of high-end commercial doors in 2019.”

The Strouse Corporation was recognized in the Growth & Productivity category for their recent growth. President Susan Chambers recently shared, “The Strouse Corporation has achieved a record revenue growth of 58% in the last three years and increased our capacity by 55%. Our strategy to use productivity improvement as a building block to achieve this growth has resulted in a staggering 21% improvement in productivity in last three years.”

In addition, Bill Bartley, President and CEO of Evapco, Inc. was in attendance and responded as follows to the recognition - “Evapco is delighted to be recognized as a RMI winner in the category of International Business. Our world headquarters in Carroll County, Maryland enables us to draw upon the people and resources in the mid-Atlantic Region as fuel for growing our manufacturing business around the world.”

Stanley Black & Decker’s Hampstead Powdered Metal Plant was also featured in the Manufacturing Technology/Industry 4.0 category. Plant Manager Ann Fagan said, “Industry 4.0 is transforming manufacturing and companies can either adapt to the new landscape, or they’ll be left behind. Our team in Hampstead has worked hard to bring new Industry 4.0 technologies into our facility and we’re proud to receive the recognition of these efforts by RMI.”

Carroll County Department of Economic Development Director Jack Lyburn shared, “We are very proud of the fact that Carroll County is a leading manufacturing county in the State of Maryland as evidenced by the tremendous growth and expansion of our manufacturing sector over the last two years.”

All honored companies are listed in the 2018 Champions of Maryland Manufacturing Yearbook which was given to all gala attendees and distributed to the members of the General Assembly, the media and state educators. Information about the gala can be found online.

About Carroll County Department of Economic Development

The Carroll County Department of Economic Development is a results-oriented team that creates competitive business solutions. To learn more about the programs or opportunities available in Carroll County email info@carrollbiz.org, visit http://carrollbiz.org, follow @CarrollEconDev on Twitter or call 410-386-2070.

On September 17th Strouse invited local government officials, customers, partners, friends and family to celebrate the ribbon cutting and official opening of our new manufacturing facility in Westminster, Maryland. 

WESTMINSTER, MD – Strouse, a leading provider of die cut adhesive solutions, announces an official ribbon cutting ceremony for its new manufacturing facility on Monday September 17^th. The ceremony will begin at 9:00am at the facility located at 1211 Independence Way, Westminster, Maryland 21157.

Award recognizes suppliers who improve 3M’s competitiveness

Differential adhesive tape is a double coated or double sided adhesive with different adhesives on each coated side. Differential tapes are most often used when one side of the tape construction is used to create a permanent bond while the other side is used to create a temporary bond.

3M Plastic Bonding Adhesive 2665 is now available at Strouse. The high performance, urethane bonding adhesive is designed for electronics applications that may potentially require rework due to design changes or recovery of high-value components.

When designing consumer electronics products, interference can be a real cause for concern. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) can be as simple as one device preventing another electronic device from properly operating. For example, an electronic watch could inadvertently alter the volume on your TV. In more serious cases, poorly designed consumer electronics products that omit RFI and EMI shielding products can put users or bystanders in danger.

WESTMINSTER, Maryland – Strouse, a leader in tight tolerance die cutting and converting pressure sensitive adhesives, has been recognized as a 3M Preferred Converter with 3M Medical Materials and Technologies. Strouse earned this recognition because of their leadership in the industry, expert team of product development and process engineers, state of the art equipment technology, and a robust quality management system and manufacturing process. This recognition provides Strouse with unique benefits that can be passed along to customers including access to 3M medical materials.

The most reliable bonding adhesive, 3M 200MP, is now paired with newly developed release liners that allow for easy application and the most accurate tight tolerance die cutting the industry has to offer.

Westminster, Maryland - June 30, 2014 - For the last 30 years 3M 200MP adhesive has set the standard for bonding adhesives . 3M 200MP is an acrylic adhesive that bonds substrates from high surface energy plastics to metals for every industry. This proven adhesive can be found in any application ranging from medical devices and electronics to automotive and appliance parts. 3M 200MP will now be constructed using new 3M technology - layflat liners, available at Strouse today.

Did you know one of the first pieces of wearable technology dates back to the 1600’s? This hot tech gadget was the Abacus ring.

Wearable technology as an industry has since seen tremendous growth. From fitness devices that track workouts to health monitors that communicate with family members and doctors in real time, these devices provide us with instantaneous data that brings together technology and everyday life.

Today wearable technology is a $14 billion

MENLO PARK, Calif., February 25, 2014 -- Neodyne Biosciences, a medical device company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative tissue repair devices to promote healing and minimize scar formation, today announced a partnership with Strouse to scale production of its embrace® Advanced Scar Therapy devices, which mechanically deliver a uniform compressive strain to offload tension from a newly formed scar.

Strouse supplies Ford with automotive adhesives that solve several key issues from design to assembly. In the automotive industry pressure sensitive adhesive and tapes are mainly used for the following applications:

• Part Mounting and Attachment
• Prevent buzz, squeak, and rattle (BSR)
• Mask vehicles during the paint process with high temp and fine line masking tapes
• Protect surfaces during assembly and shipment with protective films
• And much more...

The designers and modelers at Ford give a whole new meaning to tape.

Bonding Tapes are pressure sensitive adhesives built with the purpose of mounting and bonding different substrates together.

Bonding tapes are most often double coated adhesives built around a film with adhesive on both sides of the film. The adhesives are then covered with a liner so that the adhesive is not exposed.

All materials have an inherent surface energy ranging from high to low. Plastics, cloth, and paper products typically have lower surface energy in comparison to other materials. A low surface energy will make it difficult to bond inks, adhesive, and other coatings to a product. That’s where corona treatment comes into play. These materials can be corona treated to change their surface energy allowing inks and adhesive to create a strong bond to the surface of the product.

The majority of products produced at Strouse come in roll form. That means they are placed on a liner and wound on a core. This means that cores are literally in the middle of most of our products. But what is it?

A core is the plastic or cardboard ring used in the center of a roll for support to wind up die cut materials. In simple terms, it's what's left over when you've used all of the tape on a roll.

Strouse engineers design products to work in conjunction with automated processes. Products are often put on cores so that they can be placed on a machine and easily dispense. It’s not only important for us to know what a product is used for but also how it will be used. This goes a long way in determining what type of core your product needs.

Cores come in all sorts of varieties: plastic or cardboard, printed cores/not printed, different height/width, different diameters, and an option for core labels. Let’s look at each.

Lamination is the combination of two or more materials that function as a backing on a web or rolled good.

Adhesives are any materials meant to temporarily or permanently hold two or more objects together through surface contact.

Adhesives are best classified into categories based on the forms they come in: tapes, films, liquids, pastes, and solids. Strouse works specifically with Tapes and Films.

Tapes are the most popular

Choose the right masking product for your application at Strouse.

WESTMINSTER, Maryland - 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division has introduced a simplified portfolio for their masking tapes to distinguish product performance and enhance understanding. The new '5 Tape System' puts a logical number and name system to the entire family of masking adhesives.

New 3M Portfolio expands medical capabilities for Strouse.

WESTMINSTER, Maryland - 3M plans to announce a new sector of medical products for bonding, fastening, and attaching to adapt to medical industry regulations. These products will meet the requirements for cleanliness, disinfection, and sterilization as the industry continues to evolve.