For nearly 100 years, pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) have been used in converting applications. According to the Adhesive and Sealant Council Inc.,2 one of the first converting applications to feature PSAs was Johnson & Johnson’s cloth Band-Aid® products in the 1920s. In the 1960s, PSAs began replacing cold glues for the labeling of plastic bottles. Today, PSAs are converted for thousands of applications in a variety of industries―from medical to industrial and beyond.
One of the most common industries to convert PSAs is labels and labeling. PSA label converting may consist of printing, over-laminating, die-cutting, matrix removal, web splicing and slitting. Die-cutting and matrix removal are generally the most commonly known label-finishing functions. Die-cutting is the process of using steel or magnetic tools to cut the finished shape of the label. The material that is left following a die-cut is called the matrix. Matrix removal is the process of stripping the excess matrix so only the cut labels remain on the silicone liner.