Successful Application in the Adhesive and Tape Industry

Criteria for Successful Application in the World of Adhesives and Tapes - 3   Adhesive and tape technologies that have emerged as a result of long years of research and development activities are now safely used in many places around the world, in dozens of different markets, and in hundreds of applications. Whether in industrial manufacturing facilities and factories or as consumer products in our homes, we frequently use adhesives and tapes and are able to solve our tasks in a practical manner. Even the world's most well-known brands benefit from adhesives and tapes when manufacturing their products, thereby saving time and labor costs while also gaining advantages in terms of design flexibility, production ease, and efficiency. Naturally, dozens of different applications and production methods mean different customer-manufacturer-user expectations and needs. For this reason, when deciding on the right product as a user or recommending the right product as a manufacturer, we must correctly understand customer expectations, properly analyze the criteria from the two previous articles in this series, and have an understanding of the environment in which the final products will be placed and used. The best way to start this is by asking questions. Because by asking questions, we can correctly understand customer expectations and the conditions the adhesive and tape will be exposed to, making it possible to proceed with the right product selection. 1. In what environment will the adhesive-tape be used? Whether it is in an indoor environment like a home or in continuous outdoor use, etc. 2. What temperatures will the adhesive-tape be exposed to? Will it be at room temperature, exposed to high temperatures or cold? For example, being shipped to hot countries in containers during transportation or being used in cold northern countries, etc. 3. Will the adhesive-tape be exposed excessively to UV or sunlight? For example, being on a factory roof or on a vehicle, etc. 4. Will the adhesive-tape be exposed to moisture, water, salt, chemicals, cleaning agents and similar materials? For example, being in a marine environment, being in a constantly cleaned environment, etc. 5. Will the adhesive or tape remain on the final product for a long time with a joining (bonding/mounting) function? If so, what is the magnitude of the load it will be exposed to? 6. Is there a mechanical connection/support supporting the adhesive-tape; or will all the load fall solely on the tape-adhesive? 7. Are there expectations from the product used such as shock absorption, vibration damping, reversible attachment/detachment capability? 8. Do the technical specifications of the product used align with customer expectations? (For this, it is necessary to know tensile, shear, and peel resistances and ensure they match with customer requirements.) It is possible to diversify and increase the questions according to the customer's business, sector, and if there is production, the product being produced, but as a starting point to give an idea, let us try to bring to life what we have said by starting from the questions and providing a few real examples. The answers to these questions will be a starting point for correct product selection. That is to say, in outdoor applications exposed to high temperature and UV, adhesives resistant to these conditions will be preferred. (Acrylic-based adhesive tapes, hybrid polymers as also referred to as MS polymers or epoxies, etc.). Similarly, for tapes intended to be used in home environments with lower expectations, synthetic-natural rubber-based adhesive tapes can be preferred. For example, consider a company that creates visuals for outdoor advertising and gas station displays; this company's products will remain in constant outdoor conditions. Adhesives to be used for joining aluminum, plexiglass, and various types of plastics will be exposed to hot, cold, precipitation conditions as well as high levels of fuel and LPG vapor. These kinds of situations must be discussed with the customer and identified. The preference for VHB tapes such as 3M 4991 or 4910 that are resistant to fuel vapor will make manufacturers' work easier and prevent potential errors and adhesion problems that could arise in the years to come. We see that many manufacturers make considerable efforts to be careful about workplace safety and employee health. For this reason, in environments without adequate ventilation, it is an important point for employees that the adhesives used by manufacturers do not contain isocyanates. When selecting an adhesive and tape, it is not only the performance of the resulting final product that should be considered, but also knowing the environment in which production takes place so that employees can work in a healthy manner and recommending a product accordingly will be beneficial. Especially in environments where ventilation is insufficient, with hybrid adhesives like 3M 760 from the MS Polymer family, you can prevent CO2 emissions found in some silicones and polyurethanes and prevent workers from inhaling isocyanates. To give another example, we see that LEED-certified buildings are being constructed in the construction sector. A LEED certificate is a green building certification meaning leadership in energy and environmental design. Buildings that want to obtain this document must also have LEED certification for the products they will use. In such situations, the selection of the adhesive to be preferred becomes even more important, and the importance of customer expectations and the environment becomes apparent. For example, in a LEED-certified hotel construction, by recommending LEED-certified products for all floor coverings and carpets to be laid inside the building, you can offer your customer an appropriate solution for the building to pass the relevant certification inspection. 3M's water-based acrylic adhesive family product 1000NF will be a solution partner for customers in such applications. A specific example can be given from PV panel manufacturers, that is, the solar sector, where adhesives and tapes are used intensively. After solar panels are manufactured, they can be used in many different parts of the world and can be exposed to different seasonal conditions. Because they are located in open fields/rooftops, they are constantly exposed to conditions such as sunlight, heat, rain, and snow. For this reason, when selecting products to be used on solar panels, acrylic-based tapes and UV-resistant adhesives should be chosen considering that the products will be exposed to the stated conditions. In this regard, using the UL-approved solar tapes from 3M and Lohmann brands that address the solar sector and have been used on solar panels for many years could be the right decision. Adhesive and tape manufacturers generally want the materials they produce to be selected by consumers and for a product to be used according to the conditions it will be exposed to during and after production and the environment in which it will be placed. Although the final say is with the end user at this point, when representatives of adhesive-tape firms ask the right questions, understand the entire process, and guide the user accordingly, this will ensure correct, lasting, and safe use. In this way, confidence in adhesives and tapes will increase, the use of these products will increase, the market will grow, and more business opportunities will emerge for all manufacturers. With this final article, we are completing the three-part article series. If you had the opportunity to read the previous articles as well, you have noticed that adhesives and tapes are not as simple and ordinary products as they appear from the outside. Behind these products lies serious research and development, engineering, and long years of field experience. For this reason, when making a product choice, one must consider not only the initial bonding moment but also the performance that will emerge in the years to come. For customers, whether for home-type or industrial use, correctly understanding their expectations and providing support accordingly will increase the performance obtained from products and customer satisfaction. Application details, product technical specifications, production conditions and production method, surfaces, environmental conditions in which the final product will remain, and customer expectations are topics that must be evaluated together for correct product selection and must definitely be examined with the customer. To be able to do this examination, ask your customer plenty of questions without hesitation; so that you can uncover the real wishes and needs that may be hidden. If you have read this far, you now know the prerequisites for making the right decision in adhesive and tape selection and what steps you need to take for your applications. Wishing you to make correct and successful decisions in safe, aesthetic, and sustainable bonding applications…     Çağrı Bülbül Sales and Operations Manager Bestek