Flexible Solutions

Tape for Permanent Mounting AND/OR Temporary Fixation. Is that possible!? 

How can an adhesive tape have an extremely high bonding strength while also being easily removable?  Seems improbable, right?  Let us introduce you to the tesa® Bond & Detach series of stretch release tapes.  

Laser cutting is one of many manufacturing capabilities offered by Marian. Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser beam to cut or etch the shape of a specific design. Laser cutting utilizes CNC (computer numerical control) and/or laser optics to precisely control the pattern being cut in the material.

Rapid Production

There are no tooling requirements or costs for laser cutting. We can utilize a CAD file (.dxf) to produce parts very quickly. If materials are in stock, we can produce parts within 24 hours. This can be very helpful during the prototype and design phases. We can utilize the laser the create small volumes of parts for testing and evaluation.  

What is Die Cutting?

DIE CUTTING, by simple definition, is the process of using a die to shear webs of low-strength thin materials, such as rubber, foil, cloth, paper, films, pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, and foam. Commonly produced items include gaskets and labels.

Worldwide, Marian has one of the largest "fleets" of die cutting machines. Our highly trained design, electrical and mechanical engineers manufacture our die-cutting equipment in-house in two well-equipped machine shops. We have been die cutting for over 50 years. We are very proud to be industry experts and offer our "die cutting 101" below.

Particle-filled silicone are elastomeric compounds that combine the advantages of silicone with electrical properties of metals. Conductive silicone materials can include the following filler materials: nickel, graphite, silver, copper, and aluminum.

Particle-filled silicone materials provide shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). Silicone in itself boasts a number of tremendous properties, including high performance at extreme temperatures (-50°C - 350°C), durability and abrasion resistance, chemical stability, and electrical insulation. This combination of features makes particle-filled silicone materials ideal for EMI seals and gaskets in a range of applications and industries, including the demanding applications of the military and aerospace industries.

Some designers have concerns about using particle-filled silicone. Silicone has desirable material properties, but loading a high percentage of particle filler into the rubber in an effort to increase conductivity can result in negative tradeoffs. Typically, industry professionals worry that particle filled electrically conductive silicone will exhibit the following negative material features:

• too hard
• too brittle
• too expensive
• have long lead times
• limited by mold size dimensions
• not thin enough for newer, thinner designs

PVC (Vinyl) Foam is the last foam variety that we will explore in our blog series "Foams for Low Clamping Force Seals".  Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Foam is a lightweight closed-cell foam material. It is often used for sealing out water, dirt, and air. It resists weathering and is often laminated with adhesive to create a dynamic foam tape. 

Within electronics assemblies, thermal gap pads and thermal grease are utilized to fill in gaps between a heat-generating component and a heat sink to create a clear pathway for heat to escape, keeping the device running at an optimal temperature. So which thermal interface solution is right for your application? To aid in your decision, we list a few pros and cons to both thermal gap pads vs. thermal grease.

Thermal pads

Thermal pads, also known as thermal gap fillers and thermal gap pads, are a pre-formed rectangle or square of solid material. Thermal gap pads are often made of silicone or acrylic that contains a conductive filler. The advantages of thermal gap pads are that they have excellent dimensional stability, which makes them easily die-cut to achieve a consistent shape with each pad. The electronics manufacturer knows exactly what they are going to put into each assembly. The solid thermal gap pads are easy to handle, mess-free, and simple to install, leaving less room for assembly error.

Want to learn more about thermal gap pads? Check out this blog post: The Best Thermal Gap Pad for your Design

XLPE Foam or Cross-linked Polyethylene Foam is the next material we will explore in our blog series, Foams or Low Clamping Force Seals. XLPE Foam is an extremely fine closed-cell material formed of polymers or molecules that are chemically bonded together (cross-linked). The strength of these microcellular molecule bonds is reflected in the strength of the material. XLPE foam can stretch, bear loads, and return to its shape. It works well in insulation, gap filling, and gasket applications that require thicker foam. It can also be used for packaging and medical device packaging. It can be made in a variety of colors, the most common being black, white, and gray.   

Light Density Polyester and Polyether Urethane Sponges and Foams have an open cell structure. The evenly spaced structure of these materials and a high proportion of open cells make them suitable for an infinite number of applications. The open-cell structure makes it highly flexible and conformable compared to its closed-cell counterpart. 

Check out a related blog post: Open-Cell or Closed-Cell Foam, Which is Best?