Flagging happens when the stiffness of the backing, trying to straighten out, beats the adhesive's grip on a small radius such as a wire bundle, a tube or a narrow bottle neck. It shows hours or days after application as the adhesive creeps. Thinner or softer backings, stronger adhesives, more overlap and good wrapping tension reduce it.
Harness tape is flagging on every branch, the vinyl's too stiff for that diameter.
Also heard as
- flag
Related terms
Creep
Slow, continuing deformation of an adhesive under a constant load, which can end in failure over time.
Tack
The stickiness of an adhesive surface: how quickly it grabs another surface with light pressure and short contact.
PSA
Pressure-sensitive adhesive, the always-tacky layer on tapes and labels that bonds under finger pressure with no cure step.
Cold flow
Slow flow of a soft adhesive at room temperature under its own weight or light pressure.