Tape Selection Challenges

Tape Selection

As an engineering student I learned there are two basic ways to design a part: selection and compromise. Selection is just what it says, you have several different options to choose from, and you select one of them.

Compromise is where you create the exact part to suit your requirement. This would always be the desired approach. However, the minimums required to manufacture a custom tape make this impractical or cost prohibitive for most projects.

The good news: there are thousands of different tapes manufactured today. That means there is a high probability that you can find an existing tape that will meet most if not all of the requirements of your application, including the environmental conditions in which you need to use it. The challenge: learning about all the manufacturers and products.

Find an Expert

The challenge is real. How do you sort through those thousands of tapes and know what will work best for your application at the least cost? One option is to search online and try to learn as much as you can before you invest in a tape that you hope will work. The other option is to ask an expert. An expert knows about the different tape manufacturers and what their strengths are. For example, some make paper tapes efficiently, others are good at film tapes, and still others specialize in double-coated tapes. Some companies even manufacture private label brands for competitors.

Knowing which companies are better at which tapes will save you time and money. Find an expert and ask for recommendations for your tape application. The expert should have knowledge of a wide variety of tape manufacturers and be able to find the right product from a quality manufacturer, like 3M, Intertape Polymer Group, Shurtape, Berry Plastics or Dewal to name a few. When you approach your tape selection process with an expert, you can be sure that the Tapeworks.