PS Tape Printing Knowledge
PS Tape

Description | Types | Liner/Adhesive Width | Limitations | PS Tape Council


Description

Pressure Sensitive (PS) tape can be applied to the front or back of unit set products. The PS tape consists of a liner which covers a double sided adhesive and is wound into large rolls. The rolls are placed on collating equipment so that the unit sets can have the tape applied as the parts of the unit sets are being attached together. The adhesive side of the tape is applied to the front or back of the unit set. When the customer is ready to use the document, the liner material is removed from the tape to expose the adhesive allowing the product to be attached to another form, a carton, a plastic container, or numerous other items.

 
Types

There are several types and sizes of PS tape that are available:

Removable: Unit sets with removable PS tape can be adhered to objects and then removed without leaving adhesive residue and without damage to the object. Removable PS tape may not adhere properly to some objects. Removable tape is suitable for applications that require only short term adhesion.

Permanent: Unit sets with permanent adhesive may be removed from objects, but the adhesive is much stronger than removable. Permanent adhesive may leave some adhesive residue behind and cause some damage if the sheet with PS tape is removed from the form or object it has been applied to it.

Double Coated: The adhesive on double coated tape is even stronger than on permanent tape and it is useful where there may be more dust or fibers on objects. For example, you may need to apply an inventory tag onto a carton in a warehouse.

Freezer Grade: A permanent type of transfer tape that is designed to withstand temperatures to -40°F. It is best suited for paper to paper or paper to carton applications in environments that are continuously below freezing.

Heavy Duty: A permanent tape that is used for unit sets manufactured with the heaviest paper stock and only when adhesion must occur on uneven surfaces.

 
Liner/Adhesive Width

An important point to remember about PS tape is that the actual adhesive area is not as wide as the full width of the tape liner. For example, a 1/2" permanent tape has an adhesive that is 5/16" wide. The width of the adhesive needs to be considered when planning a project, especially if a specific width is required. The table below lists the actual adhesive width of the most commonly used tapes.

Liner Width

1/2"

3/4"

1"

1-1/2"

2"

3"

Adhesive Width

Type

Removable

5/16"

9/16"

13/16"

 

 

 

Permanent

5/16"

9/16"

13/16"

1-1/4"

1-3/4"

2-3/4"

Double Coated

1/4"

1/2"

3/4"

 

 

 

Freezer Grade

 

 

3/4"

 

 

 

Heavy Duty

1/4"

1/2"

3/4"

1-1/4"

1-3/4"

 

 
Limitations

There may be some limitations in the way that PS tape is applied to unit sets. Some examples include:

  • PS tape cannot be applied perpendicular to the direction that the paper goes through a web press or collating machine. It may be possible for the manufacturer to apply the tape in a perpendicular direction with an offline process, but this may substantially increase the price of the product.
  • It may not be possible to apply tape to the back of a sheet which has numbering on the front, if the tape application and numbering are applied at the same time that the sheet is being printed at a web press. The tape or the numbering could be applied offline, but this would increase the cost of the finished piece.
  • PS tape cannot be applied diagonally.

Note: Consult your supplier for the limitations that they may have with the application of Pressure Sensitive tape.

 
PS Tape Council

A valuable resource for additional information on PS tape is the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council. The organization was developed to serve tape manufacturers, but there are a number of resources available to non-members including technical articles and links to transfer tape manufacturers. Click the link for more information: Pressure Sensitive Tape Council

 


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