So What Is Cover Tape, Anyway?

History reports that tape was first invented in 1845 for medical bandages. Then, in the 1920s, Johnson & Johnson started using duck cloth in bandage applications for patients injured in the war. Also, in the 20s, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) jumped into the mix with the first masking tape, used primarily in the automotive industry to paint cars. By 1942 Johnson & Johnson came out with a huge crowd favorite, duct tape! The vast assortment of tapes and their uses, from gift wrapping to duct tape, drywall tape, and tape for medical applications, to name a few; like it or not, tape is a large part of our everyday lives and often something we take for granted.

What many don't know, Tek Pak's own Cover Tape has also become a very intricate part of our everyday life. What is Cover Tape? It's the application of tape over the top of Carrier Tape when used in electronics manufacturing. In the 1980s, Carrier Tape became a staple of the electronic components industry with the advancement of robotic manufacturing. Carrier Tape was instrumental in holding micro-sized electronic components in place to secure the various components. Cover Tape then covered and protected the components housed within the Carrier Tape until they were placed within various electronic products like computer/circuit boards, etc. 

Currently, the Carrier Tape industry recognizes three types of cover tape:

Thermal Sensitive Cover Tape
Tape that is heat/pressure sealed over a component.
During the process, the heat does not melt the tape; 
instead, it secures the cover tape to the surface,
holding the component in place. 

Sensitive Cover Tape 
Another form of sealing tape, Sensitive Cover Tape, has
an adhesive layer that reacts to slight pressure and
adheres around the component in the Carrier Tape. 

Universal Cover Tape
Solving the issue of Cover Tape application residual 
adhesive contamination, Universal Cover Tape has two
pathways or trenches cut along the edge of the film.
When removed, it peals along these pathways which
in turn, helps protect against any component 
contamination.

As you can see, adhesive materials have been an integral part of our lives, and the future of yet unexplored applications abounds. The Tek Pak Research & Development Department and Lab are hard at work exploring new and innovative tape applications and stand ready to assist with any Cover Tape projects. Do you have an adhesive application that you would like tested? Let us help you develop and solve the possibilities for you.