Some faults are due to tape which is out of standard but has escaped quality control inspection. Low mass weight resulting in poor adhesion, low release coat weights resulting in hard unwind, primer failure causing adhesive transfer and so on. These are legitimate complaints and would need to be examined, each on its own merit, by qualified personnel in the usual manner.

Other faults could be due to the tape being stored badly (against steam pipes or near a sunlight window, in a warm room, for long periods, a year or more). Tapes are designed for one years efficient service. Many tapes will work after longer periods but this is not build into the design. Similarly, because of the organic nature of the components, they are liable to degradation. This could be a polymer degradation due to heat, ultraviolet (like sunlight) or oxidation. For example, a tape will degrade rapidly if it is applied to a glass plate and exposed to the sun.

Because the adhesive is thermoplastic, not only is it prone to heat but it is also prone to pressure. A tape which is stood on its side for a prolonged period will develop a flat spot, become difficult to unwind at that spot and in the case of a cloth tape, may even have mass transfer occurring due to penetration of the mass into the backing. So tapes should never be stored with pressure against their coated surfaces. Store them the way they are shipped, in a cool, dry place and rotate stocks quickly.

Quite often, a tape which has been functioning well suddenly seems to develop problems. Usually, an examination of the end use suggests that the job for which the tape is being used has changed but the user omitted to tell the tape supplier. Their drying oven temperature or cycle is modified, their finish or paint is changed, the working characteristics or environment for their product is extended and so on. This information must be examined to suggest a suitable alternative.

Note: This material is an excerpt from Shuford Literature.