Specialty Adhesives & Materials
There are many benefits in using tape adhesives for bonding of parts when compared to liquid adhesives or mechanical fastening.
- Production assembly time can be reduced because application of adhesive is faster, and can be pre applied so only removal of liner is required.
- Mechanical load can be spread more evenly through parts, eliminating high stress points.
- Less space is required compared with mechanical fasteners
- Clean application, no special tools, no mess or drying time.
Applications
The large range of adhesives available mean that just about any substrate can be successfully bonded
The example to the left is a disk which has been both kiss cut and fully cut from a sheet of double linered adhesive. It is used to bond two plastic components together in an electronic appliance.
Some examples of materials that can be bonded with adhesives include:
- Plastics (ABS, PE Blends, PC, PP & many others)Valvethb.jpg
- Metals (Aluminium, Stainless Steel, Brass, Tinplate)
- Powder Coated Metals
- Acrylic
- Glass
- PCB’s
- Silicon Rubber
Typical applications include:
- The bonding of plastic components such as switches and housings inside appliances.
- Bonding of glass lenses to plastic cases.
- Bonding of silicone rubber keypads to plastic cases
- Bonding of PCD’s to Housings
- Bonding of LCD’s to housings
Adhesive Selection
A large range of Single linered roll tapes and Double linered sheet tapes can be specified with properties to suit the application requirements.
Adhesive selection depends on a number of factors including the surface energy of the components, the surface finish of the components, the bond strength required, processing consideration of the parts and environment the parts will operate in.
Processing
Sheets of double linered adhesives are usually pre-knifed on a platten press using a knife tool of the required shape.
Single Linered roll tapes can have a second liner laminated and then sheeted – the second liner is normally a silicon release paper. The sheets are then diecut to custom shapes, with “kiss cut” or “Full Cut” knifes. Some adhesives can be laser cut, which can be cost effective for very short run or prototype work.
Range
Once the part dimensions and the material substrates that require bonding are known, there will usually be more than one solution, and generally laser cut prototypes can be made for evaluation prior to commercial production. Contact us to discuss your particular requirements.
Material Conversion
Electronic Imaging convert and further process roll and sheet stock for a large range of substrates. Examples of parts not covered elsewhere include the following:
- Thermally Conduction Pads
- Light Filters and Diffusers
- Protective Films
- Optical Films
- Foam Parts
- Gaskets
- Electrical Shielding
- Breathable Valves
- Aluminium Earthing plates
Material Choice
Specialty Adhesives and materials cover a broad range of applications with many variables.
Selection will depends on a number of factors – for adhesives this will include the surface energy of the components being adhered to, the surface finish of the components, the bond strength required, processing consideration of the parts and environment the parts will operate in. For foams, the application – is it sealing light, moisture, air, the thickness and compression required and so on. Call one of Electronic Imaging ‘s sales representatives, or complete a contact form with your particular requirements for a quick response.
Prototype Service
Once the material options have been established, Electronic Imaging can produce prototype or pre-production parts cost effectively by either laser cutting or single cutting tools, allowing for evaluation of parts prior to commercial production.
