As with any industry (medicine, law, advertising, computers) us tape guys have a terminology all our own. In an effort to help us understand you better when you ask for advice we are including a glossary of tape terms for you to use.

Accelerated Aging: Simulated aging designed to predict the performance of tape after natural, long-term aging. This is done by using heat, UV radiation and moisture alone or in combination.

Acrylic Adhesive: Adhesive made from acrylic ester monomers that have been polymerized. They have good resistance to UV radiation, plasticizer and extreme temperatures.

Activate: To change an adhesive film from a dry stage into a useful tacky state.

Adhere: To bond together with adhesive.

Adhesion: The molecular force of attraction or bond between an adhesive and the surface it is applied to. Measured in ounces, pounds or newtons per inch of width.

Adhesion Build-up: An increase in adhesion after the adhesive is allowed to sit for a period of time. Caused by the adhesive "wetting out" on the surface.

Adhesive: The sticky stuff on the tape.

Adhesive Residue: Any adhesive left after tape is removed from a surface.

Anchorage: Degree of adhesion to a surface.

Aqueous: Water based.

Back Slit: Slits in the liner of a tape to facilitate easy removal.

Backing: To some it means the protective liner that covers the adhesive on double-coated tapes. To others it means the substrate that the tape itself is made from.

Bleeding: The undesirable seeping of solvents from the adhesive into pores on the surface to which it was applied. Causes unsightly staining.

Bologna Slitting: The cutting of tape in a manner similar to a Bologna being sliced at the deli. Why it's not called Salami slitting I don't know.

Bond: The level of adhesion between tape and the surface its stuck to.

Bond Strength: See Adhesion.

Buckling: Ridges that occur across the width of the tape causing a gap between layers of the roll.

Butt-cut: Cutting with a die through the tape to a supporting liner with no waste around the finished piece.

Butt Splice: A splice made by joining tape end-to-end without overlapping. Held together with a special tape.

Caliper: Thickness of the tape in thousandths of an inch or millimeters.

Carrier: The central layer of double-coated tape that has the adhesive on both sides of it.

Coater: The machine that applies the adhesive to tape.

Coating Weight: The weight of the adhesive on the tape measured in grains per 24 square inches.

Cohesive Strength: The internal strength of adhesive that prevents it from splitting and leaving residue.

Conformability: The ability of a tape to mold itself to the shape of an object without wrinkling or creasing.

Creep: The slow oozing of adhesive either on a roll (out the sides) or on a surface.

Crepe Paper: The stuff regular masking tape is made from. Has small wrinkles in it that allow it to conform to curves better.

Cross-linked: A type of acrylic adhesive in which the polymers have formed a three dimensional structure within the adhesive mass. Adhesives of this type have higher performance characteristics.

Cure: To improve the characteristics of an adhesive by applying heat, pressure or both.

Die Cut: To precut tape into a finished shape through the use of a cutting tool (die). This saves time in using the tape in an assembly process.

Dimensional Stability: The ability of a tape to retain its original measurements.

Double-coated: Tape with adhesive on both sides.

Double-faced: See above.

Double-sided: See above.

Easy Release: See Release.

Edge Curl (Edge Lift): The lifting of the edges of tape from the surface to which it was applied.

Elongation: The amount a tape will stretch lengthwise before it breaks. Expressed as a percentage of original length.

Face Side: On single-coated tapes the adhesive side. On double-coated tapes the side exposed when you unwind the tape.

Fisheyes: Small pock marks in new tape caused by air trapped in the adhesive. Not an indicator of bad tape, they will usually disappear over time.

Flagging: The lifting of the end of a piece of tape after it has been applied to a surface.

Gapping: The separation of layers of tape from each other in a roll.

Ghosting: A haze-like deposit left over after the removal of tape from a polished surface.

Heat Activated: Application of heat to soften certain adhesives to make them sticky.

Heat Resistance: The ability of tape to withstand high temperatures without failing.

High Release: See Release.

Holding Power: The ability of a tape to resist slippage under shear stress. Measured by applying tape to a vertical surface and attaching a weight to its end and monitoring it over time.

Hot Melt: An adhesive applied in a molten form that retains its pressure-sensitive characteristics once it has cooled.

Kiss-cut: Die-cutting material so that it stays in roll form. The finished pieces are removed from the roll as needed.

Knife Coating: Coating adhesive onto a substrate by pouring it behind an angled knife resting on the substrate. The substrate is then pulled past the blade spreading out the adhesive.

Lap Splice: Splice made by overlapping the ends of the tape.

Legging: The stringiness that occurs when removing tape from a surface or from some rolls.

Liner: See Release liner.

Liner Side: The adhesive side covered by the release liner.

Log Roll: Master roll of tape. Looks like a log.

Low Release: See Release.

Machine Direction: The direction of tape parallel to its forward motion on a coater.

Mass: Another name for adhesive.

Mass Weight: See Coating weight.

Master Roll: Depends on the manufacturer and product but it's between 48 and 54 inches wide and 250 and 1000 yards long.

Memory: Ability of a material to return to its original shape after distortion.

Mils: Thousandths of an inch.

Mylar: See Polyester.

Natural Rubber: Derived from latex. It imparts tack and adhesion to adhesives. See Rubber Based Adhesives.

Oozing: Where the sides of a roll of tape become sticky because the adhesive flows out from the layers of tape. Caused by too much tension on the roll.

P.S.T.C. : Pressure Sensitive Tape Council.

Pattern Coating: Adhesive applied in strips in the machine direction causing alternating bands of adhesive and non-adhesive areas.

Peel Adhesion: The force required to remove a pressure sensitive adhesive from a surface at a specified angle and speed. Measured in ounces per inch of width.

Permanent Adhesive: Adhesive that forms a strong bond with the surface to which it is applied.

Plasticizer: A solvent added to materials to impart flexibility.

Plasticizer Migration: Movement of plasticizer from a plastic (usually vinyl) into adhesive attached to it. Detrimental to the adhesive. Can cause adhesive failure.

Polyester: Very strong plastic film having excellent resistance to moisture, solvents and most other chemicals. Makes a good electrical insulator.

Polymer: Material made from chains of identical molecules (monomers). The basis of most plastics and adhesives.

Polymerization: The process that turns monomers into polymers.

Porosity: The extent that air or liquid can penetrate a substance.

Pressure Sensitive: Adhesive that can be applied by using light pressure (finger rubbing).

Quick Stick: See Tack.

Release: The adhesion level between a release liner and adhesive. High or tight release means it is more difficult to remove the liner. Low or easy release means it is easier to remove.

Release Coating: Coating applied to the non-adhesive side of single-coated tape or to the release liner that allows removal of the tape from the roll or the liner.

Release Liner: Backing paper applied to the adhesive to protect it until ready for use.

Removable Adhesive: Adhesive that can be removed from a surface without damage or residue.

Roll Coating: Application of adhesive by wiping it on a roller and then applying it to the tape.

Rewind Slitting: Process where the tape is unwound and passes through a set of knives and then rewound into finished rolls.

Rubber Based Adhesives: Made from natural and synthetic rubber compounds. They have excellent initial adhesion but poor temperature and aging resistance.

Self Wound: Single-coated tape with no release liner. Most tapes are made this way.

Shear: See Shear Adhesion.

Shear Adhesion: The ability of tape to resist slippage under shear stress. See Holding Power.

Shear Cutter: A rewind slitter that passes the tape between two rotating knives duplicating a scissors action.

Shelf Life: How long a product can be stored and still be good to use. Varies widely depending on a wide range of variables.

Silicone: A unique polymer that acts as a release coating or an adhesive depending on the finishing process.

Silicone Adhesives: Adhesives made from silicone that have outstanding stability from -100 deg F to over 400 deg F.

Single Faced: Tape that has adhesive on one side.

Slip Sheet: Treated material used to separate cut rolls of tape to keep them from sticking to each other.

Spool Wound: Process that turns flat rolls of tape into rolls resembling giant spools of thread. Excellent for automatic application since they don't have to be changed as often.

Surface Energy: The higher it is the easier adhesive can bond with a surface. Can be increased by Corona treatment.

Tack: The stickiness of a tape.

Telescoping: The sideways expansion of o roll of tape causing it to look like a funnel or telescope.

Tensile Strength: Force required to break a piece of tape by grabbing both ends and pulling.

Thermoplastic Adhesive: Adhesive that can be repeatedly melted.

Thermosetting Adhesive: Adhesive that cures to permanent hardness upon exposure to heat.

Transfer Tape: An unsupported adhesive on a liner. Like rubber cement on a roll.

Ultimate Adhesion: Maximum Adhesion achieved over time.

Unwind Adhesion: Force required to unwind tape from a roll.