How PSA Tapes Meet the Unique Needs of Vehicle Manufacturers
In the vehicle manufacturing industry, whether you’re assembling commercial or recreational vehicles, two things matter the most: the speed of assembly and the quality of the end products. Making more vehicles in less time, all while maintaining the same high level of quality, is a high cost-saver that every manufacturer pursues. Pressure sensitive adhesive PSA tapes can be the answer for vehicle manufacturers. They have many benefits over other types of bonding solutions (like metal fasteners), they are affordable, and they are generally quick and easy to apply during assembly.
Should you integrate them into the vehicle assembly process? If you are looking for a high-strength, long-lasting, and easy-to-integrate bonding solution, PSA tapes can meet your unique needs.
Here’s how PSA tapes for vehicle manufacturing can be the unique solution you need for your business.
PSA Tapes Adhere to a Wide Variety of Materials
There are many types of PSA tapes, and this variety in materials gives vehicle manufacturers a diverse range of adhesives and carriers for nearly any type of substrate. Each vehicle has many thousands of components made from a wide variety of materials—from metals to fabrics, fiberglass, painted surfaces, plastics and many other types of composites. With each PSA tape comes varying capabilities, meaning manufacturers can tailor the types of tapes they use to match the materials they are bonding.
PSA tapes, depending on the type, can bond with nearly any surface, even challenging low surface energy (LSE) substrates. They can even help prevent corrosion and galvanic reactions between different metals. If you need to bond two different types of materials, each with their own surface properties and characteristics, double-sided PSA tapes can be used. These tapes can be custom made with different types of pressure sensitive adhesive formulations, allowing manufacturers to tailor each tape to the specific surfaces of the components they are bonding.
PSA Tapes Double as Vibration and Sound Dampening Materials
Because of their viscoelasticity, some types of PSA tapes have unique properties that give them the ability to absorb and dissipate mechanical energy. When vibrations or sound waves propagate through a material, the internal friction within the material leads to the conversion of mechanical energy into heat. PSA tapes are designed to have significant internal friction, which contributes to effective sound and vibration dampening. Vehicle manufacturers can use them to reduce the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) in their products, resulting in a higher quality vehicle that provides a more comfortable ride.
Reducing NVH in a vehicle also leads to greater durability and lifespan, as consistent vibrations can loosen and damage components over long periods of time. Reducing these vibrations, on top of using PSA as a bonding solution (which are far less susceptible to vibration when compared to mechanical fasteners and welds), will result in a greater internal structural integrity of bonded components within the vehicle. In fact, PSA solutions are also available to be used specifically as sound damping tools in manufacture, like 3M™ Damping Foil 2552.
PSA Tapes are Customizable and Provide Increased Design Flexibility
When production lines move quickly, every second your workers spend cutting, measuring, and applying adhesives strips costs money. PSA tapes heavily cut down on assembly time because of how they can be customized. Custom PSA tape parts can be manufactured to fit individual components, allowing them to be quickly applied during the assembly process. Using a full range of PSA tape fabrication options, tape manufacturers can create pre-cut parts in large quantities. This gives you the capability to store these parts on site and in large numbers, allowing them to be used as needed and with little training, preparation, or cleanup.
Having custom PSA tape parts also increases reliability because they are fit exactly to the specification of the components they are bonding. With liquid adhesives, application can be inconsistent, leaving spots with either too little or too much adhesive. These custom tape parts also eliminate stress points that are common with metal fasteners and weld spots.
PSA tapes can be used to bonding a variety of components during assembly, including:
Emblems and logos
Trim and moldings
Interior and exterior panels
Various decorative elements
Electrical components within the vehicle (e.g., sensors, wires, control modules, etc.)
PSA Tapes Have a Wide Range of Environmental Resistances
Vehicles need adhesives that can withstand the rigor of driving through many environments. PSA tapes offer a wide variety of environmental resistances that include:
UV light
Extreme temperatures (hot and cold)
Oils, gas, grease, and other chemical solvents
Sealing and gasketing (windows, doors, roofing, etc.)
Water and moisture
Mold and mildew
Shock and impacts
Vibration
Our fabrication facility is uniquely outfitted to custom die cut parts from a wide variety of adhesive tapes, foams, and other specialty materials. See all our fabrication capabilities.