CONVERTING NEWS
AND INSIGHTS

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?

Polyurethanes are the largest class of polymers worldwide, with a global market of $79 Billion. As a class, it keeps growing.

Breakthroughs in materials science continue to add opportunities for innovation in materials science and global industries. Taking advantage of those opportunities nets great advantages.

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 it prevents them from overheating in electric vehicles.

PORON foam is one such groundbreaking material.

OK, here’s the short story: Die cut adhesives are extremely versatile and can solve business challenges in a variety of industries.

Nice (and true), but not very exciting. What’s really fun is hearing about the unexpected ways that die cut adhesives are being used; the solutions that definitely do not immediately pop to mind when you hear “adhesive applications.”

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!

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.

Before we dive into the many uses of this exceptional substance, let’s start with the basics: “What is hydrogel?” Hydrogel is a 3D network of hydrophilic polymer material that quickly absorbs and retains a large amount of water (or other fluid). Incredibly versatile and environmentally sensitive, hydrogels are multi-functional across a variety of industries.

Whether they are open or closed, shallow or deep, the healing process from wounds can be long and painful. 

Protective film is a material that protects surfaces that are susceptible to damage: minor or moderate abrasions to scratches and more. One example is a vehicle. Protective film helps protect a car from daily wear and tear that comes with regular usage and other more uncommon damage.

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.