Mobile devices rely on sticky tape

tesa has been offering adhesive solutions for use in electronic devices for more than 60 years.

As early as 1952 tesa’s double-sided tapes were used in calculators to cushion vibration and dampen noise; tesamoll was used in the same way in the production of TVs with the foam-backed adhesive tape absorbing both noise and dust. Of course this was a time when electronic devices were not today’s multi-functional wonders that allow users to talk on the phone, take pictures, listen to music and look for friends in virtual landscapes all at once.

Trend for smaller and lighter

The tesa product range for the electronics industry now encompasses about 150 items with 75% of these introduced in the past three years. In today’s fast-moving communications arena, wireless technology is among the 21st century’s most important advances and the trend toward smaller and smaller products continues unabated.

As mobile devices including phones, digital cameras and PDAs continue to become smaller, smarter and lighter, they represent a core market for tesa.

For example, tesa products secure many of these devices’ tiny electronic components, elements of their exterior casings and parts of their visual presentations firmly and permanently. Further tesa products provide greater efficiency during the assembly process which for many electronics products is still mainly carried out by hand.

Still more tesa solutions ensure optimum protection for components during the production process, keeping them safe from scratches and humidity.

Today, mobile phones are everyday consumer electronic devices that must integrate an ever broader range of multimedia features. Miniaturisation is one of the key drivers of this dynamic industry and the substitution of conventional mechanical connections with space-saving alternatives is one of the major challenges. Design engineers are faced with the constant demand for innovative fastening solutions in line with modern technological trends.

The tesa assortment of tapes is customised for demanding mobile phone applications and certified to international quality standards. Applications include window/lens mounting, earpiece mounting, dome switch mount and LCD cushioning.

tesa adhesive tapes have marked advantages over adhesives and mechanical connections. It is almost impossible, for example, to apply liquid glues and adhesives evenly to complex geometric forms. Adhesive tapes are also efficient, dependable replacements for mechanical means of affixing components including screws and clamps because tapes require less space, are lighter, less expensive and simplify the assembly process.

Being a global player within the TV market, tesa continuously strives to bring new products, technologies, components and solutions to the customer, all in line with high quality standards of its products and production methods that respect the environment. Furthermore, tesa is introducing to the market tesa ACXplus ELine. The latest generation of acrylic foam products, its viscoelastic nature enables E-Line to absorb and release the energy generated by thermal expansion or contraction of the substrates bound due to the environmental conditions. It gives the E-Line excellent wetting properties which support longevity of the bond.

The closed cell, foamed structure of tesa ACXplus E-Line provides the cushioning effect required on impact in order to absorb stress and secure the joint as well as delivering outstanding water resistance.

Thanks to the specific chemistry of the backing it provides very high adhesion over the entire lifespan of the product.

Outstanding performance

These features give it outstanding performance and make it highly suitable for the most demanding applications within the TV segment. One example is frame fixation where a decorative frame is fixed to the structural bezel to improve the appearance of the set with a seamless appearance.

Of particular importance to the electronics industry are products made from tesa heat activated film (HAF) which requires a combination of heat and pressure to initiate bonding. HAFs were developed for challenging applications which demand a very high bond such as those between metal and plastic or where only narrow, threedimensional surfaces are available for adhesion. Without bright, flat, high resolution screens, today’s mobile phones, digital cameras and navigation systems would be unthinkable. Light management adhesive tapes are important components of state-of-the-art displays. They hold the display and background lighting securely in place while increasing brightness, ensure sharply defined areas of light and absorb disruptive glare. However, packing high technology into small spaces means that parts can become very hot. This heat has to be dissipated from inside the appliance and adhesive tapes from tesa play a special role in this process.

Ultra-flat devices manage and regulate heat with sheets of graphite which are able to absorb high temperatures and dissipate heat evenly over a relatively large surface. The graphite strips are affixed in place using a double-sided tape that does much more than just stick. The thinner the tape, the better its thermal conductivity and tesa is developing the world’s thinnest doublesided tape to offer its customers.

At just 5 μm (1 μm = 1/1000 mm) thick, it consists of a 2 μm thick backing and on each side a 1.5 μm coating of an acrylate adhesive mass developed by tesa (a single strand of human hair is about 50 μm thick). The tapes have successfully come through extensive testing and will be available to smartphone manufacturers later in the year.

tesa continues to deliver state-of-the-art adhesive technology to the electronics industry, working with manufacturers to ensure the very highest quality products and anticipating future requirements with continuous product development and testing in its UK and European facilities.

tesa

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www.tesa.co.uk