Face Carrier Adhesive: Better Process Control Cuts Costs

Problem:

A tier 2 automotive customer had a demanding spacing tape application that required a large amount of logos to be adhered to individual vehicles quickly and efficiently. After using a generic removable tape, the customer found that residue from the facing tape was continually being left on the vehicle lettering. Additionally, when lettering was dipped in chromium to prevent corrosion, pieces of chromium paint were sticking to the facing tape after application. These issues resulted in the customer losing 30% of finished product and paying for large returns. As supplier to some of the biggest automotive companies, including Ford, Toyota and FCA, the resulting line shutdowns in cities like Toronto, Toledo and Chicago developed into an incredibly costly problem that the customer’s big box store facing tape supplier was unable to resolve.  

Solution:

Ameri-Cal was able to offer a two-fold solution to this customer’s multiple facing tape problems. By identifying a very controlled peel strength within a 3-ounce window, we were able to manufacture a specially engineered adhesive that eliminated residue remnants, while also being designed to never peel past a certain amount of bond strength, thereby preventing any paint flaking. We were able to help this customer decrease their scrap 3% annually by providing them with a very customized product specific to their process, while also advising them on the portion of their manufacturing operation where we exposed the flaw in their bake cycles that was leading to an inferior product due to paint flaking. Ameri-Cal continues to support this customer with on-site technical support and joint visits to vehicle assembly plants.