Have you ever been working on a project and wished you had an extra hand—or two? In transportation assembly applications, installers have traditionally relied on mechanical fasteners or welds to hold fiberglass or aluminum panels in place before they are screwed or riveted. But increasingly, manufacturers are turning to tapes to secure panels. Why are manufacturers making the switch to tapes? Consider these important benefits:

• The tape acts as a gasket around the fastener, sealing it up and keeping the elements out.
• Unlike mechanical fasteners, which make contact only at certain points, tapes offer continuous contact between the two materials, which reduces fastener fatigue over time by distributing stress over a wider area.
• Adhesive tapes help reduce noise and vibration.
• In some cases, using tapes can reduce the number of welds or fasteners needed or eliminate them entirely, thus reducing cost and weight.
   

All tapes aren’t created equal
When it comes to selecting a tape for transportation assembly applications, it’s important to remember that all tapes aren’t created equal. Rubber transfer tapes can offer several advantages over acrylic foam tapes for such applications, including:

• Rubber transfer tapes are more cost-effective than acrylic foam tapes.
• Rubber transfer tapes exhibit better adhesion to a wider variety of surfaces, including low surface energy plastics and powder-coated surfaces.
• Using just hand pressure, rubber transfer tapes form an instant bond—unlike acrylic foam tapes, which require extra time to set or build.
   

Why choose Mactac’s GS Series Rubber Transfer Tape?
As a recognized leader in rubber pressure-sensitive adhesive technology, Mactac has prided itself on developing its own adhesive solutions, including its GS Series Rubber Transfer Tapes. Featuring a solvent-free, high-strength rubber transfer adhesive, Mactac’s GS Series Tapes are designed for transportation and assembly applications such as plastic extrusions and moldings, weather stripping, skid plates, insulation, shoddy and more. Mactac’s GS Series Tapes feature high-performance elastomers, which offer the highest levels of peel adhesion while maintaining exceptional cohesive strength. GS Series Tapes are available in thicknesses of 5 to 50 mils and widths ranging from .5 to 11.5 inches to meet a wide range of application needs.

In addition to being a top choice among installers in the transportation industry, Mactac’s GS Series Tapes are ideal for fabrication and assembly applications in the automotive, building and construction, and appliance industries.