In industries such as automotive, where high precision is vital, the material you use determines the quality of the end product. Assembling a car is not as simple as just procuring a block of steel or aluminium and cutting it into a shape of a vehicle. The manufacturer buys the individual parts that are already crafted with precision and puts them together. Such accuracy is similar to a die-cut tape. Instead of manually cutting to fit your adhesive needs, the die-cut tape is all ready to go and well-fitted to your specifications.
What are die-cut tapes?
Die-cutting is a manufacturing process that allows the manufacturer to cut materials into a large number of similar shapes. Think of it as using a cookie-cutter when baking cookies. You have the stencil of the shape and size of the cookie you want to make, and all you need to do is just stamp it on the dough, and you get the cookie you want.
Similarly, die-cut tapes are created and cut with a high precision cutter to the specification your business needs. Die-cut tapes form adhesive bonds – temporary or permanent – between materials or components. However, they are constantly converted into custom shapes, formats, and sizes to boost the efficiency of assembly processes.
Why die-cut tapes have an advantage over rolls of tapes?
Advantage #1: Better value
The main reason many manufacturers prefer to use rolls of tape instead is that they are cheaper to procure. If put together and materials are exactly the same between the two, a die-cut tape will naturally be slightly more expensive than rolls of tape.
This is because of the additional production cost to create such high precision tapes. However, many manufacturers do not consider the true cost of using die-cut tapes and just consider the material cost. If you factor in other aspects of production, you will find that using die-cut tapes provides your business with better value overall.
Advantage #2: More efficient production
Manufacturing and assembly businesses always focus on productivity. Especially in specific industries where precision is required, using rolls of tape just does not fit in those environments. While particular applications can be general and straightforward, some may need a little more precision with their odd shapes and sizes, which would require the company to then have to cut the roll of tapes into the required shape and size, slowing down productivity and increasing the occurrence of human error.
Die-cut tapes eliminate the need for manual cutting. You get the tape pre-cut into the specifications your company needs, and all you do is just apply it. It certainly speeds up production and is also a lot more efficient and accurate.
Advantage #3: Better accuracy
This is undoubtedly the most obvious advantage. Manually cutting rolls of tape will never be as accurate as die-cut tape, which is precisely and accurately cut to specification all the time. The critical difference is widely contrasting: A 100 per cent fit every single cut vs Having to measure the dimension every time you want to cut the roll of tapes to the specification you need.
Advantage #4: Better performing workforce
Applying either form of adhesive requires a physical workforce. Yet often, many businesses and corporations do not think that “helping their workforce” perform better and efficiently is the key priority. Using die-cut tapes can contribute to the better performance of their workforce.
Tabbing is an ideal example of what die-cut tapes can do that rolls of tapes cannot. Adding tabs to die-cut tapes allows them to be used more straightforwardly, allowing production and assembly to begin and end efficiently. With the tab, the production team can now easily apply a die-cut tape, handle the material it is applied on as required, wait until the following process is ready, and then use the tab to easily remove the liner, exposing the adhesive meant to join the two materials together.
Advantage #5: The ability to bond different surfaces together
A roll of tape, unless used on materials with similar surface energy, cannot bond two distinctly different surfaces together unless you utilise a specific tape that targets the particular surface type. A custom die-cut tape can be uniquely crafted to bond different surface together – the custom differential adhesives that are created according to specifications accomplishes that more cost-effectively and efficiently.
Advantage #6: Less wastage
Reducing waste is what every organisation and corporation hopes to achieve. A die-cut tape is crafted and cut to the exact specification needed. It does not have any overlap or additional wasted portions. Using rolls of tape is not only labour-intensive, but it also requires a lot of cutting and overlapping of tape to fit the product. All the waste materials created add up to an increase in carbon footprint. Also, with the increased occurrence of human error, it could also result in changes in the product having to go through rework or being deemed useless. This could take up more production time.
Conclusion
Using the automotive industry again as an example to summarise the key advantages of using die-cut tapes. Using a roll of tape, a worker might require half an hour to mask off a particular section. However, that same worker could cut that time to just a minute if he were to use die-cut tape. Die-cut tapes would definitely cost slightly more, but overall, in terms of production cost, you would save so much more. It is about selecting the right tape for your required needs.
If you have read this and are now convinced of the benefits that die-cut tapes can bring to your business, Heleflo Products can provide you with such a solution. We are an adhesive tape manufacturer in Singapore that offers a wide range of adhesive solutions across various industries. Contact us today to discuss your needs and specifications.