Bonding Tape: Uses and Examples

If you’re here, you might be wondering, “Is bonding tape the right solution for my project?”

Bonding tape isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill office tape. It's a powerful adhesive that holds components together as they undergo the stress of outside forces. 

At Strouse, we construct custom parts daily using bonding tapes. Nobody knows better than us that these tapes are incredibly robust tools that can elevate your product's quality.

This article will discuss the purpose, construction, and advantages of bonding tape to help you decide whether it’s a good fit for your project. 

 What is Bonding Tape Used For?

Bonding Tapes are pressure-sensitive adhesives designed to mount and bond different substrates together. They join materials together through the forces of adhesive bonding. 

Many industries use bonding tapes, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, and industrial and manufacturing facilities. These tapes can bond anything from glass, metals, ceramics, and many other materials.

Using adhesive to bond two substrates together can serve as a direct replacement for welding, screws, rivets, and other types of fasteners. 

The Construction of Bonding Tape 

Bonding tapes are most often double-coated adhesives built around a film with adhesive on both sides of the film. The adhesives are then covered with a liner so that the adhesive is not exposed.

The Advantages of Using Bonding Tape 

There are several advantages to bonding substrates with adhesives:

1. SAVING MONEY ON TIME AND COSTS

Fasteners often require several components to make a strong bond. Nuts and bolts, screws, and rivets will add to your costs significantly and take longer to fasten. 

There’s also the matter of comparing tape on a roll to die cut bonding tape. Die cut components are cut into custom shapes for ease of application and process standardization. 

While the initial cost of die cutting is often higher than tape on a roll, die cut parts can save you money thanks to their accuracy and ease of application. Custom adhesives can also be tabbed or given other adhesive features for quick dispensing and easy placement, speeding up your production process. 

2. AVOIDING METAL CORROSION

Joining metals with fasteners can lead to corrosion, as the different types of metal press against each other. Using adhesives to bond metals will eliminate the risk of galvanic corrosion and extend the life of your product.

3. DOESN’T DEFORM SURFACES

For a screw to enter a surface, there must be a hole punched into it. Mechanical fasteners can deform substrates, whereas adhesive bonding maintains the shape of the bonded materials.

4. LIGHTWEIGHT

Bonding adhesive is an efficient bonding solution for vehicles and electronic devices. Reducing weight decreases energy consumption and vehicle emissions and makes electronics light and easy to handle.

5. DISTRIBUTES STRESS EVENLY

Fasteners create stress points concentrated in a small area, which can lead to fractures and broken substrates. Bonding adhesives spread the stress throughout the entire surface area where the adhesive is applied, creating a stronger, sturdier part.

By now, you hopefully have a better idea of whether bonding tape sounds like a viable project solution for your needs. But if you want to pursue bonding tape, where do you begin sourcing materials or configuring your design for production? 

Adhesive converters have years of experience working with different bonding tapes, and we’d be happy to point you in the direction to get started. Whether sourcing materials or working on a design, Strouse can help you plan your part and prepare for production. 

If you have a question about bonding adhesives, contact us or check out our Learning Center for more educational resources. 

Originally published: February 13, 2014