Custom Die Cut Parts vs Rolls of Tape: Which is Right for Your Assembly
Die cutting is a fabrication process that involves using specialized high-precision machines to convert materials into custom shapes and sizes. When it comes to pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes, die cutting allows for your chosen material to be cut to shape as individual parts, on multiple parts on sheets or in pre-die-cut rolls of tape. There are several methods of die cutting PSA tapes giving you many flexible options in how to customize your tape part solution.
While die cutting is highly flexible and customizable, it’s not the only way to have custom PSA tapes delivered. Some clients choose to have custom specialty tapes rolled for their application, which also offers many benefits of its own. Which method is right for your PSA tape application? Find out more about the benefits of die cut PSA tapes and rolls.
The Advantages of Die Cut PSA Tapes
Die cutting isn’t right for every PSA tape application, but it does offer many benefits, depending on how your products are manufactured. Many manufacturers choose die cut PSA tapes because they result in:
Greater production efficiency: when PSA tapes are pre-cut into custom shapes to meet your exact needs, they are easier and faster to use during product assembly—they are easy to remove and apply, and there are no additional tape removal steps. PSA tapes can be die-cut into intricate shapes that match the exact part dimensions needed for tape application. It is unnecessary to have production workers cutting tapes down to a specific size or shape manually.
Greater accuracy and less waste: manually cutting tape off of rolls can result in mismeasuring and human error. Eliminating the chances of human error also results in less material waste.
Less labor: application of custom cut die cut PSA parts is a less labor-intensive process.
Scalability in cost: once a specific die is created for a manufacturing run, it’s very easy to scale production volumes in the future. This reduces the part price as order volumes increase.
Improved workplace safety: there’s no need to use knives and scissors for cutting tape and removing weed. This creates a safer work environment in your manufacturing facility.
Die cutting is ideal for manufacturers who need large numbers of custom parts created for specific products. Die cutting allows for extreme flexibility and customization of the parts created, offering a precise and affordable solution for custom bonding projects that use PSA tape.
As an additional note, our experts at Engineered Materials can “nest” your PSA tape parts, allowing us to combine multiple parts in the same run. This allows for a significant reduction in the materials used and can create a more cost-efficient series of die cut parts for your products. See more of the benefits of nested parts here.
The Advantages of Slit Rolls of Tape
Every product is different, so die cut PSA tapes are not the perfect fit for every bonding solution. There are certain situations where manufacturers may choose to instead have their PSA tapes delivered on rolls. Rolls of PSA tape are ideal for applications that don’t require custom PSA tape parts in specific shapes. Bonding long narrow frames or I-beams, for example make more sense to be applied in roll format Rolls of PSA tapes can be slit into custom widths and length, then even spooled, also known as level winding, to long lengths to help you increase production productivity through automation.
However, you need your tapes delivered Engineered Materials can help!