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FINAT’s seal of approval for tesa® tape

FINAT, the international association for the self-adhesive label industry announces its Test Methods Sub-committee has completed a successful analysis of tesa® 7475 PV2. Seven different laboratories tested 22 different liners and produced 5544 release values to report that tesa® 7475 PV2 provides similar release values to the former tesa® 7475 version.

In 2013, the discontinuance of a primary raw material resulted in tesa needing to make modifications to their tesa® 7475 test tape which had been successfully used for decades in the self-adhesive market. As a result a new version of this test tape called tesa® 7475 PV2 was introduced in 2014. In order to thoroughly compare the former tesa® 7475 with the new version tesa® 7475 PV2, FINAT conducted a 'round-robin' test program including many of the key users of this test tape.

Hans Lautenschlager

The new tape was compared to the former tesa® 7475 version in the FINAT FTM 10 test that measures the release characteristics of silicone coated liners. It helps determine the force required to separate an adhesive front strip from its anti-adhesive backing, or vice-versa, under specified test conditions.

FINAT concludes that tesa® 7475 PV2 provides similar release values to the former tesa® 7475 version with most liners having a premium or medium release (where the FTM 10 peel values are < 50g/25mm). For release liners with a highly modified release (FTM 10 peel values > 50g/25mm), a conclusive outcome was not possible due to highly scattered individual release values and a small database of release values (only 2 of the 22 liners tested). In general, some release values indicated lower release forces when measuring with tesa® 7475 PV2 –though that still needs to be examined for each individual case.

“Testing is an essential part of FINAT’s role and one of the cornerstones of the organisation,” comments Hans Lautenschlager, Chairman of the FINAT Sub-committee Test Methods. “We are able to draw on a broad range of industry experts and operations to ensure we are at the forefront of new developments. That knowledge is something we pass on to our members. The freeflow of information and research enables us to support all elements of the industry in a highly informed, effective and accurate way. Specifications for silicone coated liners are often based on FTM 10 in combination with tesa® 7475. It is with this in mind that we recommend a review of the release data obtained with tesa® 7475 PV2 and, if necessary, an update on the release specifications.” 

The FINAT Sub-committee Test Methods is part of the FINAT Technical Committee that exists to understand and promote the science and technology of self-adhesive labelling. It utilises knowledge from a wide range of industry members’ interests to provide an informed body of professional expertise focused on the processes and materials used in the manufacture of self-adhesive labelstock, and their conversion and subsequent application.

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