Filament tape or strapping tape is a pressure-sensitive tape consisting of a pressure-sensitive adhesive coated onto a backing material which is usually a polypropylene or polyester film and fiberglass filaments embedded to add high tensile strength.
It is used for several packaging functions such as closing corrugated fiberboard boxes, reinforcing packages, bundling items, pallet unitizing, etc.
The first filament tape was invented in 1956 by Cyrus W. Bemmels, a scientist working for Johnson and Johnson. [1] Several other varieties have since been developed.
A variety of grades of filament tape are available. Some have as much as 600 pounds of tensile strength per inch of width (100 N/mm). Different types and grades of adhesive are also available.
Most often, the tape is 12 mm (approx. 1/2 inch) to 24 mm (approx. 1 inch) wide, but it is also used in other widths.
A variety of strengths, calipers, and adhesive formulations are available.
The tape is most often used as a closure for corrugated boxes such as a full overlap box, five panel folder, full telescope box. "L" shaped clips or strips are applied over the overlapping flap, extending 50 - 75 mm (2 - 3 inches) onto the box panels.
Heavy loads or weak box construction may also be aided by the application of strips or bands of filament tape to the box.
The tape can be applied manually with a stationary dispenser but is more often applied with a hand held tape dispenser: this allows the user to more efficiently place the tape on the box, cut it off, and rub it down.
Automated machinery for application of tape to high speed lines is also common.
Some PSA tapes are available which have a highly oriented polypropylene backing with high strength in the long (machine) direction. Some of these have shaped filaments which help resist tearing across the tape. These tapes are sometimes used in a similar manner as filament reinforced tapes.
Some filament tapes (or strapping tapes) are sometimes used similarly to strapping.
Corrugated fiberboard is a material consisting of a fluted corrugated sheet and one or two flat linerboards. It is made on "flute lamination machines" or "corrugators" and is used for making cardboard boxes. The corrugated medium sheet and the linerboard(s) are made of kraft containerboard, a paperboard material usually over 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) thick. Corrugated fiberboard is sometimes called 'corrugated cardboard', although cardboard might be any heavy paper-pulp based board.
Paperboard is a thick paper-based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper and has certain superior attributes such as foldability and rigidity. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a grammage above 250 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single- or multi-ply.
Amorphous poly alpha olefin is a commodity chemical used in multiple applications.
A label is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed directly on a container or article can also be considered labelling.
Strapping, also known as bundling and banding, is the process of applying a strap to an item to combine, stabilize, hold, reinforce, or fasten it. The strap may also be referred to as strapping. Strapping is most commonly used in the packaging industry.
A tape dispenser is an object that holds a roll of tape and has a mechanism at one end to shear the tape. Dispensers vary widely based on the tape they dispense. Abundant and most common, clear tape dispensers are commonly made of plastic, and may be disposable. Other dispensers are stationary and may have sophisticated features to control tape usage and improve ergonomics.
Adhesive tape is one of many varieties of backing materials coated with an adhesive. Several types of adhesives can be used.
A wooden box is a container made of wood for storage or as a shipping container.
Tape or Tapes may refer to:
Wound closure strips are porous surgical tape strips which can be used to close small wounds. They are applied across the laceration in a manner which pulls the skin on either side of the wound together. Wound closure strips may be used instead of sutures (stitches) in some injuries, because they lessen scarring and are easier to care for.
Box-sealing tape, parcel tape or packing tape is a pressure-sensitive tape used for closing or sealing corrugated fiberboard boxes. It consists of a pressure-sensitive adhesive coated onto a backing material which is usually a polypropylene or polyester film which is oriented to have strength in both the long (machine) direction and the cross direction.
The container compression test measures the compressive strength of packages such as boxes, drums, and cans. It usually provides a plot of deformation vs compressive force.
Load securing, also known as cargo securing, is the securing of cargo for transportation. According to the European Commission Transportation Department “it has been estimated that up to 25% of accidents involving trucks can be attributable to inadequate cargo securing”. Cargo that is improperly secured can cause severe accidents and lead to the loss of cargo, lives, and vehicles, or cause environmental hazards.
Corrugated box design is the process of matching design factors for corrugated fiberboard boxes with the functional physical, processing and end-use requirements. Packaging engineers work to meet the performance requirements of a box while controlling total costs throughout the system.
Cardboard is a generic term for heavy artificial paper-based products, usually brown colored, having greater paper pulp material and superior timber or other specific mechanical attributes to the cardboard; such as shavings of wood, and different types of wood. The construction can range from a thick paper known as paperboard to corrugated fiberboard which is made of multiple paper pulps and wood.
Tear tape, also known as tearstrip or tear-off ribbon, is a narrow adhesive tape used to open packaging. The backing is often a narrow oriented polymer such as polypropylene but other polymers, yarns, and filaments are also used. Many tear tapes use a pressure sensitive adhesive but others have a heat-activated adhesive system.
Pressure-sensitive tape, known also in various countries as PSA tape, adhesive tape, self-stick tape, sticky tape, Sellotape, or just tape, is an adhesive tape that will stick with application of pressure, without the need for a solvent or heat for activation. It can be used in the home, office, industry, and institutions for a wide variety of purposes.
The chemistry of pressure-sensitive adhesives describes the chemical science associated with pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA). PSA tapes and labels have become an important part of everyday life. These rely on adhesive material affixed to a backing such as paper or plastic film.
Package handles, or carriers, are used to help people use packaging. They are designed to simplify and to improve the ergonomics of lifting and carrying packages. Handles on consumer packages add convenience and help facilitate use and pouring. The effect of handles on package material costs and the packaging line efficiencies are also critical. A handle can be defined as “an accessory attached to a container or part for the purpose of holding or carrying.” Sometimes a handle can be used to hang a package for dispensing or use.
A shipping tube, mailing tube, or cardboard tube is a shipping container used to ship long items. It is usually a long package with a narrow cross-section: square, triangle, or round.