You’ve submitted your product design to a converter and feel confident—until you receive a reply: “Hey, would you be willing to process these parts onto a low-tack carrier…?”
Although the reasons behind a converter's suggestions may not always be obvious, these adjustments often lead to better part performance or a more efficient production process.
Strouse has built thousands of client designs, so our engineers have the experience to know what it takes to manufacture custom designs successfully.
Today, you’ll learn why you’d use low-tack film, its benefits, and how it can improve your product.
What is Low Tack Protective Film?
A low-tack protective film serves as an easily removable layer of added protection. Its mild bonding strength allows it to cling to surfaces while still being easily removable, making it ideal for temporary applications and automation.
When a protective film holds die cut parts, it becomes a carrier. However, the definition of a low-tack carrier depends on the materials involved.
Material adhesion is influenced by how surface energies interact, so selecting a low-tack carrier for your project will primarily rely on the composition of the other materials.
Why Use Low Tack Protective Film in Production?
Low-tack protective films can offer many advantages for product protection and ease of application.
1. ALLEVIATE SCRATCHES
As the name implies, protective film commonly shields products from damage. You’ve likely encountered this use case in your daily life: peeling back low-tack film to reveal new screens or shiny surfaces.
In production, a converter may use protective films to safeguard certain materials from scratches during transportation that might damage the product's aesthetic or performance.
2. NO ADHESIVE RESIDUE
Strong adhesive bonds often leave a residue when removed, damaging the product. Low-tack protective films are light, single-coated tapes that won’t transfer adhesive to the parts. They aren’t powerful enough to leave sticky residue behind.
3. HOLDS PARTS IN PLACE
SHEETING
Converters often use low-tack film in sheeted parts to keep the product components fixed and orderly, ensuring they’re dispensed appropriately instead of scattered. While the carrier material is essential for production, it will add a minimal cost to the final product. Typically, the benefits of the low-tack film will outweigh the cost of adding a material.
AUTOMATED PRODUCTION
Low-tack films can also assist in automation by holding die cut parts so that machines can use them more effectively. Die cut parts on a roll can be highly effective for automated manufacturing processes, but machines can have difficulty removing parts from liners. Low-tack films hold parts in place until the automated process can slide or pluck them off easily.
Should I Use Protective Film?
Not every product needs low-tack protective film, but the ones that do will benefit immensely from incorporating it into the process.
Although adding materials can cause cost concerns, an experienced converter can confidently recommend whether a protective film will improve your custom manufacturing process enough to offset the cost.
When you work with a reliable converter, you can trust that they’ll figure out how to guarantee the safety and functionality of your product. Reach out to get a quote and begin the consultation process, where we will determine whether your process needs a low-tack protective film.
You can find more information about using low-tack protective film in our Learning Center and educational information on other adhesive materials.
