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high speed release force

FTM4
scope test pieces
This test method allows the label user to assess the These should be taken from a representative sample of
separation force of a laminate at speeds comparable to material. The strips should be 25 mm wide and have a
those typically used to convert and dispense the material. minimum length of 300 mm in the machine direction. The
It therefore gives a far more meaningful assessment of testing device may require extra length for clamping the
the conversion characteristics than FTM 3. Very low values material. The strips must be free from damage (creases,
may create label fly during conversion or application. High blisters etc.) and cut with clean edges.
values may produce web break when skeleton stripping
die cut labels or dispensing failure during automatic
application. test conditions
The material under test is placed between two flat metal
definition or glass plates and kept for 20 hours at 23°C ± 2°C under
a pressure of 6.87 kPa (70 g/cm2) to ensure good contact
High speed release force is defined as the force required to between the release paper and the adhesive.
separate:
Up to 20 strips can be kept between the plates.
• (mode 1) a pressure sensitive adhesive coated material
from its backing or protective sheet After storage in this manner, the strips should be taken
• (mode 2) the backing from the adhesive coated from between the glass plates and kept for not less than
material, both at an angle of 180° and at jaw separation 4 hours at the standard test conditions of 23°C ± 2°C and
rates between 10 m and 300 m per minute. 50% RH ± 5% RH.
The two modes will mostly give different results. Accelerated ageing may be carried out by placing a similar
set of strips between two flat metal or glass plates and
keeping for 20 hours in an air circulating oven at 70°C ±
test equipment 5°C. The strips should then be removed and conditioned
for at least 4 hours as above. See also FTM 5.
A machine capable of peeling a laminate through an angle
of 180° with a jaw separation rate range of 10 - 300 m per
minute. The machine should preferably have a facility for
recording the release force continuously (see picture 1).

procedure
Mode 1:
Separating adhesive coated face material from release
backing
When the adhesive component is pulled from the backing
by a roller mechanism it may be necessary to prevent the
adhesive sticking to the rollers in the drive mechanism.
This may be achieved by a strip of glassine release base
FINAT TECHNICAL HANDBOOK 2014 |

covering the exposed adhesive. The protective strip


should be 5-10 mm wider and 20-30 mm longer than the
Picture 1: Imass ZPE-1000 High Speed Release Peel Tester adhesive component test piece, to minimise the risk of
misalignment.

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FTM4 high speed release force

The procedure is as follows:


1. Place the test piece in the machine and fix the release
backing in the load cell clamp.
2. Place the protective strip (silicone side) squarely on
and parallel to the adhesive side of the adhesive face
component, in such a way that the protective strip will
follow the adhesive component during the release test.
3. Set the machine at the desired test speed.
4. Place the adhesive component with protective strip in
the drive roller mechanism and carry out the test, noting
either the individual display reading or the average
reading from the recorder.
If a sample width of 50 mm is used, the adhesive
coated face paper cannot be removed in the described
way. Check the manual of the testing device whether
release values below 15 cN/25 mm are reliable.

Mode 2:
Separating release backing from adhesive coated face
material
The procedure is as described above except that the
position of the laminate components is reversed and it is
not necessary to use a protective strip.

results
High speed release force is expressed as the peak or
average result for the strips tested in centiNewtons (cN)
per 25 mm width. This should be quoted alongside the test
speed used and the means of peeling employed:
• (mode 1) facing material from release backing or
• (mode 2) release paper from facing material. The type
of result (peak or average) should be quoted.

notes
1. Results based on merely peak and/or average release
force values may be misleading, particularly at high
separation speeds. It is strongly recommended that
the release test device be used with a high speed
trace recorder.

2. Conversion 1 kgf = 981 cN


FINAT TECHNICAL HANDBOOK 2014 |

Issued October 1988


Revised October 1995
Revised March 1999
Revised May 2001
Revised December 2013

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