It is important to consider the surface on which you plan to use the tape. The surface may be flat and smooth, or it may be contoured or rough. When applying tape to curved or non-flat surfaces, several factors can affect bonding. The curved surface will induce forces on the edges or bend points in the tape, which can result in a de-bonding peel force that causes the tape to pull away from the surface. In these cases, it becomes important to ensure that the tape selected has a strong enough adhesion to overcome these forces. This may require selecting a much different tape than would be used to bond to the same material on a flat surface.
In addition, contaminants or other materials on the surface can affect bonding. When a tape adheres to a surface, it forms a contact between the adhesive and the surface. If there are contaminants—such as dust, oil or rust—on the bonding surface, the adhesive will contact those materials and not the surface underneath. The more contaminants on the bonding service, the more the strength of the adhesive bond is reduced and the tape may fail in its application. Having a clean, dry surface is important to forming a good bond.