Liners carry a thin release coating, usually silicone, tuned so the adhesive stays put until the user peels it with a specific low force. Paper, polyester and polyolefin liners differ in stiffness, moisture stability and die-cutting behavior. Liner release force that is too high tears labels; too low lets them fall off on the press. Differential liners have different release on each side.
Liner release is tight on this lot, the auto-applicator keeps tearing the labels.
Silicone from a release liner can transfer onto the adhesive face if the liner and adhesive are mismatched, killing adhesion to the part.
Also heard as
- liner
- backing paper
- release paper
Related terms
PSA
Pressure-sensitive adhesive, the always-tacky layer on tapes and labels that bonds under finger pressure with no cure step.
Transfer tape
A layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on a release liner with no carrier, which transfers entirely to the part.
Carrier
The film, foam, paper or fabric layer inside a tape that the adhesive is coated onto.
Peel-and-stick
Describing any product with a ready-coated pressure-sensitive adhesive under a liner that goes on without tools.