Liquid adhesive is subject to many variables: temperature, humidity, dosage, mixing ratio, curing time.
This makes it unpredictable in terms of cycle time planning.
Even small fluctuations lead to different degrees of hardening – particularly critical in series production.
In addition, several steps are often required (application, joining, fixing, hardening), which prolongs processes and increases sources of error.

Why adhesive tape scores highly here:
With liquid adhesive, every bond is a small experiment – dosage, application quantity and environmental conditions influence the result.

• Adhesive tape, on the other hand, is process-reliable and standardised:
• The adhesive layer thickness is precisely defined and remains constant.
• There are no drying or curing times – the bond can be loaded immediately.

In series production, assembly times can be calculated precisely without unpredictable fluctuations.

Many liquid adhesives contain solvents, isocyanates or other reactive substances that:

• may only be processed under strict safety conditions

• require personal protective equipment (gloves, respiratory protection, extraction)

• produce unstable compounds if incorrectly dosed or incompletely cured

In addition, residues or hardened adhesives can age uncontrollably and weaken
the bond in the long term.

Why adhesive tape is safer –
For human beings and processes:
The substances often contained in liquid adhesives can be harmful to health. Protective measures, exhaust air systems and personal protective equipment are required.

Adhesive tape offers clear advantages here:

• No toxic fumes or hazardous substances

• No skin contact with liquid chemicals

• Lower risk of incorrect bonding due to overdosing

Liquid glue remains liquid.
When applied, it may run or form threads – especially on vertical surfaces or when applying very small amounts.
This leads to:

• Adhesive residues that have to be laboriously removed later

• Contaminated component surfaces, which impair appearance and function

• Cleaning and reworking costs, which consume time and materials
   

This is a deal-breaker, especially for visible surfaces in vehicle interiors or sensor components.

Why adhesive tape has the edge:
Especially during manual processing or in areas that are difficult to access, the liquid adhesive tends to run, resulting in unclean components, increased cleaning effort and rework.

Adhesive tape, in contrast, is dry, clean and can be applied with pinpoint accuracy:

• No uncontrolled distribution of the adhesive

• No excess material, no wiping or reworking

• Clean components without residues or smears

The application of liquid adhesive is difficult to reproduce.
The application depends on factors such as

• dosing systems

• viscosity

• mixing time

• Operating experience 

The result: uneven adhesive layers, varying bond heights and fluctuating adhesive strength.

Liquid adhesives are too dependent on application, pressure and flow behaviour. Uniform layers are difficult to reproduce.
Adhesive tapes, on the other hand, are laser-cut or punched and enable maximum precision:

• Every geometry can be repeated exactly
• The adhesive is only applied where it is needed
• Tolerances remain constant
   

Once hardened, liquid adhesive usually remains hard or brittle.
This means that it cannot compensate for material movements – e.g. in the case of:

• Temperature fluctuations (summer/winter)

• Oscillations and vibrations

• Components made of different materials (plastic, metal, glass)

The result: stress cracks, delamination or material fatigue.

In short: liquid glue bonds, but it is unforgiving.

In comparison, adhesive tape remains permanently elastic and can:

• Compensate for uneven surfaces
• Absorb thermal expansion of different materials
• Dampen oscillations and vibrations
   

Depending on the type and shape of adhesive tape used, it also offers significant added value beyond simply bonding.