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By Bob Lesher on  4/3/2023

10 Automotive Uses for Differential Double-Sided Tape

10 Best Uses for Differential Double-Sided Adhesive Tapes over the image of a hands peeling a release liner off of a metal tape

Differentials: The Double-Duty Double-Sided Adhesive Tape

Welcome to the second post in our series about differential double-sided Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) tape.  In our first post, Differential Double-Sided Tapes Defined | The Basics, we gave an overview of differential double-sided PSA tapes. Here we'll see how these special double-sided adhesive tapes are used for ten automotive applications.

Why Differential Double-Sided Tapes & Automotive?

Due to their versatility, reliability, and efficiency, custom die-cut general double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are used extensively in the automotive industry. Differential double-sided tapes, specifically, with their unique adhesive combinations, are explicitly designed to adhere to dissimilar materials with different surface characteristics.

Combine their dual-adhesive technology with their double-sided tape benefits, and it's easy to see why this makes differential double-sided tapes ideal for a wide range of automotive applications, including bonding, sealing, and vibration dampening.

Automotive Applications & Differential Double-Sided Tape

Differential double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are widely used in the automotive industry because they bond well with various substrates, including low surface energy (LSE) plastics and painted surfaces. This makes them ideal for attaching exterior components such as emblems and trims to vehicles. They also offer excellent temperature resistance and durability, critical for parts exposed to extreme hot and cold conditions.

Let's take a look at ten ways differential adhesive tapes are used in and around an automobile.

10 Best Uses for Differential Double-Sided Tapes in the Automotive Industry

  1. Attaching exterior trim and emblems: Differential double-sided adhesive tapes are commonly used to secure trim and emblems to the exterior of a vehicle. They provide a robust and durable bond that can withstand exposure to the elements.

  2. Bonding interior trim components: These tapes are also used to bond interior trim components such as dashboard panels, door panels, and headliners.

  3. Securing weatherstripping: Differential double-sided adhesive tapes can be used to secure weatherstripping to the body of a vehicle, creating a water-tight seal.

  4. Mounting mirrors: These tapes are often used to mount mirrors onto the body of a vehicle. They provide a secure bond without compromising aesthetics with screws or bolts.

  5. Fixing broken taillights: Differential double-sided adhesive tapes can be used to repair broken taillights or other exterior lights.

  6. Attaching spoilers: Spoilers can be attached to the rear of a vehicle using differential double-sided adhesive tapes.

  7. Sealing air conditioning systems: Differential double-sided tapes can seal air conditioning systems, preventing leaks and improving efficiency.

  8. Mounting license plates: Differential double-sided adhesive tapes can be used to mount license plates onto the body of a vehicle, eliminating the need for screws or bolts.

  9. Securing carpeting: These tapes can be used to secure carpeting to the floor of a vehicle, preventing it from slipping or moving around.

  10. Dampening vibration: Differential double-sided adhesive tapes can dampen vibration and reduce noise in various vehicle parts, such as the dashboard or the engine compartment.

Differential tapes provide a clean, efficient, cost-effective alternative to traditional mechanical fastening methods like screws and clips. This can save time and labor during production while reducing vehicle weight and improving aerodynamics.

Bonus Automotive Application

Securing EV battery modules and components: Differential double-sided tapes can attach battery cells to the battery tray or housing and secure EV battery modules within the battery pack in an electric vehicle.

High-Performance Differential Adhesive Tapes for Automotive Applications

After all that, it's probably easy to see why differential adhesive tapes are such a popular choice in the automotive industry. We work closely with the industry's best PSA tape manufacturers, and they offer a wide range of differential double-sided adhesive tapes for all applications, not only automotive.

Here are a few examples of differential double-sided adhesive tapes for automotive applications from three of our valued adhesive tape manufacturers — 3M, Avery Dennison Performance Tapes, and Berry Global:

  • 3M™ 9731M: A firm, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape with a polyester film carrier coated on one side with a silicone adhesive and a high-performance acrylic adhesive coated on the other.
  • Avery Dennison FT 351: A differential, double-coated, pure solvent acrylic/solvent rubber tape designed for applications where an extreme adhesion is required to LSE materials on the laminating side and a plasticizer-resistant and repositionable adhesive on the mounting side.
  • Adchem 4300 Series from Berry Global: A polyester film carrier coated with a modified solvent-based acrylic adhesive on one side and a rubber-based adhesive on the other.

Check out our double-sided adhesive tape data sheet library for more examples. 

JBC Technologies for Custom Die-Cut Differential Double-Sided Adhesive Tape & Automotive

JBC Technologies is an experienced provider of custom die-cutting and differential double-sided adhesive tape solutions to the automotive industry and beyond. With over 30 years of experience and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in four states, JBC Technologies delivers high-quality, custom solutions that meet the unique requirements of each customer's application.

Our team and the experts at our various manufacturer partners work closely with our customers to understand their needs and, if necessary, design custom solutions to optimize performance, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.

 Contact us today to get started on your next custom die-cutting project.

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