Industrial tapes have an application in various industrial areas, packaging and in shipping companies, for the protection of the equipment or materials being used or transported, for masking of the surfaces from external conditions, or for simply sealing the package or equipment. So, a lot of tapes are being used in a lot of areas within an industry to company, and this lot will also create residue if not applied or removed properly. There can be surface damage with the tapes, or adhesive layer residue on the product surface if the adhesive layer is more attached to the product surface than the backing material.So, here we will discuss the ways in which we can improve the industrial tapes usage for increasing the efficiency of the tapes, decreasing the time required for the unpacking, and also preventing the excessive residue of removed tapes.1. Use the Right Tape for the Right TaskThe first step is to find the best suited tape for the task at hand to increase the optimal performance. As there are a variety of industrial tapes available in the market, so choosing the right one for your task at hand is also a skill that need to be learned by the user. These different tapes have different backing materials, different adhesive strengths, and thicknesses so that they can fulfill all the needs of the hour. There are some characteristics that need to be considered when choosing the tapes like:u Surface where the tape needs to be applied, as different surfaces like metal, plastics or glass need different specific adhesives that attaches with them properly for longer periods.u Temperature resistance when needed, requires tapes made of polyimide, or like aluminum foil tapes which can be applied and remain intact at high temperature areas like in the automotive industries are in the aerospace applications.u Environmental conditions also need to be considered when choosing tapes, like in the environment where exposure to moisture, chemicals, or UV light is there, tapes with weather resistance and chemical resistance will be required.u Adhesive strength of the tapes also need to be considered for the right kind of work need from them, like heavy duty tapes will be required for the sealing and packing of large equipment or items, whereas lighter duty adhesives can fulfill the need when temporary sealing or marking is needed.2. Surface PreparationThe surface on which the tape is to be applied should be plain, even, and without any dirt or particles. Because the uneven surface or any other particles, or even moisture in-between the tape and the surface will cause the bond to be loose and the tape to be worn off easily. So, there is a need to clean the surface with alcohol based liquid if it is a metal, or detergent if it is plastic, then you should apply the tapes for better contact. The second thing that should be done is to completely dry the surface, there should be no moisture or any other liquid on the surface when you are going to apply tape, this will effect the adhesive to loose its contact with the surface loosening the bond. And lastly the surface should be even without any bumps, these bumps need to be removed or filled before applying tapes for better strength.3. Application TechniquesWhen the tapes are applied with the correct technique, it will adhere to the surface longer. For the correct application of tapes these things should be done properly:Apply pressure uniformly on the tape as you lay down it onto the surface. We can utilize rollers for applying even pressure on the tapes as we put them on the surface. Secondly you should apply even tension on to the tapes as you place it on the surface. As, extra tension will elongate the tape more and also when it contracts over time then the bond will also gets loosened with it. The last thing is to consider the temperature in which you are applying the tape. As in colder conditions the tapes are contracted and with time, and with increase in temperature the tapes gets loosened and tore off easily from the surface. So, the application of tapes should be done in normal room temperatures. 4. Proper Curing Time for Adhesives Proper curing time is needed by the heavy duty adhesives when applied to the heavy loads, that also have significant movement. As, heavy duty adhesives need some time to cure and give maximum strength for their better performance. Some needs minutes for curing and some even needs hours for complete curing.5. Removal TechniquesIndustrial tapes are heavy duty, and can leave adhesives or can also damage the surface upon removal. So, some removal techniques that can be used for securely removing the tapes are as follows:u Peel the tapes at angles around 45 degree, this will minimize the adhesives leaving behind on the surface, and also prevents surface damage from happening.u Strong adhesives can be peeled off easily when slight heat is applied on to the surface of the tape. This heat from a heat gun will loosen the tape, and then we can easily peel it off. The tapes in inside of sensitive electronic devices are usually peeled off in this way.u If there is still some adhesive residue left behind on the surface, then we use adhesive removers like alcohols or any specialized liquids for those residues, and wipe off them with clothes afterwards for complete removal.How to Prevent Residue FormationResidue formation can be prevented by using low adhesive tapes when the requirement of bonding is not much needed, and the work is not heavy duty. These tapes are for temporary applications like painters tapes, masking tapes, or surgical tapes etc. Another way is to remove the tapes as soon as the work is completed. The task at hand is finished, remove the tape immediately to prevent them from deteriorating from climatic or environmental changes. These changes make the adhesive materials and the backing materials to split and then that adhesives are left behind on the surface as residue. So, there is a manufacturers recommended time span for which the tapes can perform well and then peels off well without any aid. Otherwise you have to force the tapes to peel off by stretching and pulling it causing the them to break off and also leaves off residue.If there still some residue remains on the surface then you can utilize the residue removal chemicals, or agents and wipe off the remnants with them, and if the adhesive residue is tougher to clean then we can utilize mechanical methods to scrap off the material from the surface, and then at then end clean the surface with chemical for post cleaning.
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