Adhesive Transfer Tape in Gasket Applications

After a long day of scouring the internet for thin-bonding gasket solutions, you’ve finally stumbled upon adhesive transfer tape. But what makes this tape category different from any others?

Strouse has used adhesive transfer tape to build a number of custom gaskets. Its unique, flexible composition makes it ideal for thin bonding in many sealing applications.

This article will discuss the advantages of using adhesive transfer tape in a gasket design and whether it suits your project. 

What is Adhesive Transfer Tape?

Adhesive transfer tape is a thin, double-sided, pressure-sensitive adhesive with a release liner on either side. It does not have a backing, which allows for easy maneuverability. 

Adhesive transfer tapes are among the most thin gasket tapes (less than 1 millimeter). They are commonly made of extremely conformable acrylic adhesive that can bond to textured surfaces while remaining unseen.

Adhesive Transfer Tape For Gaskets

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, often to prevent the flow of liquid or gas

2) Fill the gaps between objects, including any surface irregularities 

Gaskets often require strong environmental, heat, and chemical resistance, as well as rapid application during assembly. These are all strong points of adhesive transfer tape.

Adhesive transfer tape is essentially a powerful, clear adhesive used to bond low-profile and high-heat applications. Like any other gasket tape, it can join substrates and fill in surface irregularities to create a stronger bond. 

While transfer tape gaskets can be used in a variety of industries, manufacturers commonly use them in transportation, fluid handling, medical, military, electronics, appliances, and other applications. 

Why Choose Adhesive Transfer Tape?

✔️ Ultra thin & Low Profile 

✔️ Extremely Flexible 

✔️ No Carrier

✔️ Temperature & Solvent Resistant

✔️ Easy Application

✔️ Joins Dissimilar Materials

✔️ Doesn’t Add Bulk to Designs

✔️ Optical Clarity 

Every adhesive type offers unique benefits depending on the performance required. Yet, tape (whether it be double-sided or adhesive transfer) is the only adhesive that can be pre-applied to gasketing material before die-cutting. 

Adhesive transfer tape offers many advantages for aesthetically pleasing parts or those needing high temperature resistance. The lack of a carrier or backing allows it to function at higher temperatures than other gaskets.

For a thick, heavy-duty gasket aimed at sealing something like immense water pressure, you’re better off using a material such as foam. However, if your gasketing needs involve an extremely thin and flexible, low-profile bonding material, potentially with optical clarity, then you’ll want to consider adhesive transfer tape. 

Building Custom Gaskets with Transfer Tape 

Creating an adhesive-backed gasket can be challenging, not to mention doing so hundreds, thousands, or even millions of times. While it may sound straightforward to apply adhesive backing to gasket material and then cut it out, you will likely need an experienced engineering team to merge these steps into an efficient one-pass production process. 

Converters laminate adhesive transfer tape onto gasketing materials, such as foam or rubber, before die cutting it into custom shapes. Transfer tape increases your ability to build custom material stack-ups, so your unique design can combine the right materials with a powerful adhesive. 

Because transfer tape does not require drying like liquid or hot melt, it allows you to combine adhesive lamination, die cutting, and other steps into a singular process for increased efficiency.

Planning Your Gasket Application

Choosing the best gasketing material isn’t always a straightforward process; you may need to try multiple design variations until you achieve your ideal solution. 

Although the chosen tape may seem like a small part of a gasket’s success, it’s actually a critical decision that can make or break a component. The material choice will be reflected in your budget, production process efficiency, and future automation expenses.