Connection solutions

Solutions for mobile peripherals such as cell phones, MP3 players, and PDAs are a central field of application for tesa adhesive systems in the electronics industry. All around the world, for example, cell phones are a fixture of everyday life.

In 2005, the number of cell phone users rose above the two-billion mark for the first time. At the same time, the phones themselves are constantly getting smaller and lighter, all while new functions are being added – from MP3 players to video recording and playback. tesa´s adhesive solutions contribute to this continual process of refinement and further development. Their advantage: Although mobile devices are composed of many tiny individual parts, they can be assembled with very few screws. That saves weight and space.

The mounting of speakers is just one of many applications of tesa solutions in mobile devices.

A look inside one of these devices shows the many varied ways in which tesa self-adhesive products can be used in mobile peripherals. The display window of a phone, for example, is affixed firmly to the outer casing of the telephone using a precision-punched tesa adhesive tape of particularly great adhesive force. In addition, a product with high resistance to slippage and shear is selected to ensure that the connection withstands shocks optimally in the event that the event of falls, impacts, and jolts.

The battery block, the phone’s heaviest – and, when in operation, hottest – component is also affixed with a special adhesive tape from tesa, ensuring a stable hold even when temperatures are at up to 100° C for long periods.

The emphasis of other tesa products is greater efficiency during the assembly process. During this process, if a tape’s adhesive force on contact (tack) is too high, it can impede proper assembly. Electronic devices are still assembled primarily by hand, and even experienced assemblers occasionally experience errors. The solution: an adhesive tape that has a backing made of strong, tear-resistant polyester (PET) and low tack, characteristics enabling it to be removed and repositioned easily, without damaging the device.

Precisely calibrated levels of tack also make it possible to use special products from tesa to protect and affix components temporarily before they are affixed by mechanical means further down the line. In this way, for example, a telephone’s LCD can be cushioned on all sites with foam backing attached with an adhesive tape that protects it from humidity and finger smudges until the LCD is installed.