A Solution that Sticks: The Key to Overcoming Your Bonding Tape Challenges
A Solution that Sticks: The Key to Overcoming Your Bonding Tape Challenges
Across the realm of industrial and DIY projects, adhesive bonding tapes play a pivotal role in joining materials together seamlessly and securely. These tapes offer a convenient and efficient alternative to traditional bonding methods, such as liquid adhesives or mechanical fasteners. But in order for your bonding tape solution to really stick—and overcome the typical challenges that emerge with different types of uses—it's essential to have the right adhesive tape and application process in place. Let's explore exactly what that means.
Common Taping Conundrums
Bonding tapes have revolutionized a number of applications in various industries by offering strong, reliable and efficient bonding solutions for materials ranging from plastics and metals to fabrics and paper. They provide advantages like uniform stress distribution, smooth surface finishes and enhanced design flexibility. Even so, challenges can arise when the importance of selecting the right taping solution is overlooked.
Common difficulties include:
- Adhesive Selection: Not having the right adhesive formula that adheres well to both substrate materials without leaving residues or damaging surfaces.
- Level of Application Precision: Issues with ensuring even, precise, consistent application of the adhesive across surfaces, especially with intricate or large-scale projects.
- Messy Application: Adhesive tapes that require peeling off backing, dealing with messy glue or addressing potential inaccuracies in placement.
- Degree of Bond Strength: Compromised strength and durability, particularly under various environmental conditions.
- Time-Consuming Application: Tedious, time-consuming application processes that slow down projects and hinder productivity.
Choosing a Solution that Sticks
To address these challenges head on, you need a solution that changes the game for various taping applications.
The Scotch® ATG system has proven to be the go-to adhesive solution since the early 1970s. For light and heavy industrial applications, the Scotch® ATG Adhesive Applicator is a convenient, reliable, versatile tool capable of attaching a wide range of materials. With no cure time, the adhesive instantly bonds long, large and small surfaces. As a portable, hand-held solution, it can apply tape to any shape or form, even from an uncomfortable position, while allowing your free hand to hold the part.
The ATG system is a cost-effective and more productive replacement to many double-sided tapes and tape applicators, as well as adhesive dots, staples and liquid adhesives. The two-part system of 3M™ Adhesive Transfer Tapes and Scotch® ATG Applicator features the following highlights:
- Provides very high adhesion and good shear holding power
- Holds well to glossy surfaces and most plastics
- Conforms easily to curves and contours
- Bonds well to smooth and moderately textured surfaces
- Leaves no mess, no residue and no odor
Meet the Applicator
The Scotch® ATG 700 Adhesive Applicator offers a lightweight, portable, one-hand solution for applying adhesive transfer tape to metal, plastic, foam, paper and more. No preparation is necessary, and the applicator does not produce fumes, vapors or strong odors. Additionally, it provides consistent thickness with no mess from oozing, glue lines or aerosol-adhesive overspray.
During use, the adhesive transfer tape's liner removes automatically and rewinds into the applicator. The adhesive system allows you to only use the necessary amount of tape, while providing an option for exchanging to new or previously used rolls of adhesives with different performance attributes. This applicator allows the use of 3/4" and 1/2" width rolls. The adapter enables the use of 1/2 inch (12mm) wide transfer tape.
Transparent cases provide easy visual verification of the amount of tape inside while covered gears minimize applicator jams. The Scotch® ATG 700 Adhesive Applicator is ideal for use on small and medium assembly jobs as well as light and heavy-duty industrial applications, including:
- Trim and molding attachment
- Point of purchase and specialty packaging
- Signage and graphics attachment
- Appliance and automotive interior assembly
- Commercial print assembly
- Matting and picture framing
- Fabric, foam and gasket attachment
Discover the Range of Tapes
The 3M advanced acrylic adhesive on Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tapes bonds on contact and is formulated with a choice of properties such as high temperature resistance, differential tack, adhesion to low surface energy plastic and more.
3M™ Scotch® ATG Tape 924
Designed for general purpose applications, our Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 924 bonds a wide variety of similar and dissimilar materials such as metals, glass, wood, papers, paints and many plastics. It offers high adhesion that creates a permanent bond, good solvent resistance and excellent UV resistance. The adhesive can stick to difficult, varied and textured surfaces, including areas with high humidity and exposure to sunlight.
Recommended Applications
- Bond mat board in picture frames and dust covers
- Menus, invitations, table tents, cards
- Commercial print assembly
- Point of purchase, promotional displays and inserts
Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 924 features 3M™ Adhesive 400, a medium firm pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive system. It has an excellent balance of good initial adhesion and good shear holding power. The formulation gives 3M™ Adhesive 400 a consistently strong bond across a range of temperatures. A thin, tough, polyester film carrier between the adhesive layers improves the handling and strength of the tape. By using a robust 55 lb. densified kraft paper release liner, this tape provides reliable performance for industrial applications, such as die cutting and automated dispensers.
Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 926
Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 926 is used to replace staples, liquid adhesives and glue guns. The high-performance acrylic adhesive sticks on contact to a wide variety of substrates and material combinations including plastics, ABS, acrylic, PP, PE, polycarbonate, polyester (PET), nylon, styrene plastics, PMMA, paper stocks and other difficult-to-stick-to substrates. In addition to high chemical resistance, including solvents and plasticizers, Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 926 also performs in high temperature applications up to 450ºF/232ºC over a short term.
Recommended Applications
- Convenient adhesive transfer tape attachment for demanding industrial applications
- Foam and gasket attachment
- Holding and fixturing in product assembly
- Bonding folders and boxes with good resistance to flap lifting
- For use where automated equipment is not suitable
Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 926 features 3M™ Adhesive 350, a modified acrylic adhesive ideal for applications requiring high shear strength even on challenging surfaces such as low surface energy materials, powder coatings or slightly oily metals. Producing high tack levels for immediate adhesion, this adhesive offers excellent chemical resistance and hold strength even at elevated temperatures.
Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 969
Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 969 bonds a wide variety of materials, including plastics, glass, paints and materials with glossy surfaces. Very high initial adhesion creates an immediate, permanent bond that provides good solvent and UV resistance. The adhesive can stick to difficult, varied and textured surfaces, including areas with high humidity and exposure to sunlight.
Recommended Applications
- Seal pocket folders
- Bond mat board in picture frames and dust covers
- Splice paper, films and foils
- General purpose bindery attachment
- Mount promotional items and posters
Our Scotch® ATG Adhesive Transfer Tape 969 features 3M™ Adhesive 300, which affords high initial adhesion and bonds well to a variety of substrates including metals and many coated papers, fabrics and foams as well as high surface energy (HSE) and low surface energy (LSE) plastics. This acrylic Adhesive 300 has been tested to ASTM procedures for peel adhesion, temperature and humidity as well as resistance to UV, fuels, acids and detergents.
For more detailed information about how The Scotch® ATG system can support your bonding tape needs, visit our product pages or reach out to our team of experts.
