FAQ

Do you have any ISO certifications?
Check out our ISO certifications here.

What kind of substrates can I bond with tapes and adhesives?
With today’s adhesive and tape technologies, even many materials once defined as “hard-to-bond,” such as low surface energy plastics, can be bonded with strength greater than the materials themselves.  The list of potential substrates ranges from glass, wood, cardboard, and rubber to steel, concrete, foam, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, and just about any other material you can name.

Will tapes and adhesives provide the strength I need to hold my materials together?

Strength can be readily matched to the substrate and stress characteristics to which the bond will be subjected. 

Most adhesives and tapes perform better when the primary stress is tensile or shear.  In most industrial applications, however, a combination of stresses are involved that may include cleavage and peel.

Tensile is pull exerted equally over the entire joint.  Pull direction is straight and away from the adhesive bond.

Shear is pull directed across the adhesive, forcing the substrates to slide over each other.

Cleavage is pull concentrated at one edge of the joint, exerting a prying force on the bond.  The other edge of the joint is theoretically under zero stress.

Peel is concentrated along a thin line at the edges of the bond where one substrate is flexible.  The line is the exact point where an adhesive would separate if the flexible surface were peeled away from its mating surface.  Once peeling has begun, the stress line stays out in front of the advancing bond separation.

How do tapes and adhesives compare to spot welds, rivets, screws or other mechanical fasteners?

Adhesives distribute stress evenly over the entire bonded area.  A rivet or screw concentrates stress at the hold and can decrease physical properties of the substrate.  With uniform stress distribution of adhesives and tapes, lighter, thinner materials can be used without concerns about distortion, splitting or crazing.  Elimination of holes in metal also reduces the chances for rust and corrosion.

Can I use tapes and adhesives on dissimilar substrates?

Laminates of dissimilar materials can often produce combinations superior in strength and performance to either substrate alone.  The flexibility of many adhesives and tapes compensates for differences in the coefficients of expansion between such materials as aluminum and wood.

My part is exposed to vibration, how will this affect the bond?

Many tape and adhesives (like VHB’s) have a viscoelasticity construction that improves resistance to vibration fatigue by imparting flexibility to a joint or bonded area.

Can the bond also act as a seal between the substrates?

The continuous contact between mating surfaces provided by tapes and adhesives effectively bonds and seals against dirt, dust, water, and other environmental conditions.

How will the adhesives standup when the finished assembly is exposed to harsh environmental conditions?

While some adhesives do not hold well when exposed to extreme temperatures, high humidity, chemicals or even water, we offer adhesives that are specially formulated to resist hard environmental conditions.

My application requires high speed adhesion.

There is a wide range of adhesives and tapes with a variety of open times available.  Depending on your end use requirements, you can select adhesives that bond on contact or with open times ranging from 2 to 90 minutes.

What can I use if my parts need to be disassembled for maintenance or service?

When assembled with most adhesives or tapes, parts are generally difficult or virtually impossible to disassemble without damaging the part.  Re-closable fasteners allow for 100’s to 1000’s of opening and closures.

Can tapes and adhesives reduce my costs?

You might see cost reduction through alternative material, weight reductions and elimination of drilling, welding, screwing, finishing and similar operations.  In most cases, adhesives require minimal training.  Many adhesives require little or no investment in major equipment.