A Closer Look Into Tesa Acx Plus and How it Achieves Superior Bonding Performance

Tesa ACX Plus is a type of acrylic core tape designed for permanent exterior and interior mounting and bonding applications. In many industrial and signage environments, achieving a clean, reliable bond is not always straightforward, especially when working with modern substrates or dissimilar materials where mechanical fasteners and liquid adhesives may be impractical or risk damaging the surfaces. Our aim here is to go through a few more details about Tesa ACX Plus, including what gives it its superior bonding performance, why high-performance bonding tapes are required, and how to select the right ACX Plus grade for your application.

Key Takeaways

Tesa ACX Plus is an acrylic core tape made for permanent interior and exterior mounting, providing a clean bonding option when fasteners or liquid adhesives are impractical or could damage surfaces.
ACX Plus superior bonding performance comes from a viscoelastic acrylic core that provides internal strength while absorbing and relieving mechanical stress.
High-performance bonding tapes like the Tesa ACX Plus are needed for challenging “constructive bonding,” especially with modern substrates and dissimilar materials (like metal to glass or composites) where screws, welds, rivets, or glue may not be suitable.
Choosing the right ACX Plus grade depends on the substrate combination, the tape thickness needed for stiffness vs. gap-filling, and real-world conditions like temperature cycling, UV/weather exposure, humidity, and chemical contact, with testing recommended before production.

Quick Links

What gives Tesa ACX Plus the excellent bonding performance it is known for?
Why are high-performance bonding tapes required?
What are the main benefits of using Tesa ACX Plus?
How to Choose the Right Tesa ACX Plus Tape for Your Application
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions

What gives Tesa ACX Plus the excellent bonding performance it is known for?

Tesa ACX Plus is able to achieve such excellent bonding performance due to the viscoelasticity it has.

Such viscoelasticity results in better viscous and elastic characteristics, giving the tape inner strength and relieving mechanical stress.

Why are high performance bonding tapes required?

Constructive bonding is important for different industries and is considered to be quite a challenging task to accomplish. In addition, there are high-tech materials having special structures and properties which are to be maintained.

Moreover, it is often necessary to bond dissimilar things such as steel on glass, aluminum over steel, and deco glass over fiber composites.

Additionally, in many of these situations, it might not be suitable to use mechanical fasteners such as liquid glue, screws, welds, or rivets, as they may well result in damage to the materials you want to bond.

In these circumstances, Tesa ACX Plus easily surpasses conventional methods due to its superior bonding performance.

What are the main benefits of using Tesa ACX Plus?

Tesa ACX Plus tapes are able to provide a long-lasting bond for different materials, even if they have varied surface characteristics.
This type of tape is able to easily accommodate applied loads such as snow, wind, and those of bonded components.
Tesa ACX Plus tapes offer high adhesion properties thanks to the use of optimal wetting and their acrylic adhesive system, which is able to chemically adapt to the surface to be bonded.
It is possible to adjust tape thickness to compensate for uneven and rough surfaces. This makes it possible to create a permanent contact so that bonded substrate can be completely sealed.

Tesa ACX Plus stands out as a high-performance bonding solution, offering exceptional strength, durability, and adaptability across a wide range of materials and conditions. Its superior performance is largely due to its viscoelastic acrylic core, which provides both elasticity and internal strength to absorb stress and maintain a lasting bond. In applications where traditional fastening methods may cause damage or be impractical—such as bonding dissimilar or delicate materials—Tesa ACX Plus tapes deliver a clean, reliable alternative. With benefits like optimal wetting, chemical adaptability, and the ability to compensate for uneven surfaces, it proves to be a versatile and dependable choice for modern industrial bonding challenges.

How to Choose the Right Tesa ACX Plus Tape for Your Application

Selecting the right Tesa ACX Plus tape is important for achieving consistent bond strength, long-term durability and reliable performance. Every application is different, so it helps to look at a few key factors before you decide, and to lean on the experience of a partner like MPI Matco when needed.

Consider Your Substrate Combination

The first step is to understand what you are bonding to what.

Metal to metal often calls for an ACX Plus tape with strong structural properties and good rigidity.
Glass or acrylic to metal may benefit from a more conformable foam that absorbs thermal expansion between dissimilar materials.
Powder-coated, painted or lower surface energy substrates can require a more aggressive adhesive system that can anchor properly to challenging surfaces.

As an industrial adhesive tape specialist with decades of experience supporting manufacturers and sign professionals across North America, MPI Matco can help you evaluate your substrates with surface energy testing and adhesion trials before recommending a specific ACX Plus product.

Match Tape Thickness to Application Demands

Thickness influences how a tape behaves in service. Thinner constructions tend to offer higher stiffness and are suitable for rigid assemblies with tight tolerances. Medium thicknesses provide a balance between strength and the ability to accommodate minor surface variations. Thicker foams are useful when you need more gap filling or stress distribution across uneven or mixed substrates.

MPI Matco offers a wide range of Tesa ACX Plus thicknesses. We can align the tape profile with your assembly design, your manufacturing process and your desired appearance.

Factor in Environmental Conditions

Real-world conditions often determine whether a bond succeeds over time. When choosing a Tesa ACX Plus tape, consider:

Temperature exposure: Continuous high heat or significant thermal cycling may require a grade that maintains performance at elevated temperatures.
UV and weather: Exterior signage and outdoor assemblies benefit from UV-resistant cores and adhesives that withstand sunlight and moisture.
Humidity and chemicals: High humidity or occasional chemical contact may call for a construction that resists moisture ingress and degradation.

Clarifying these conditions at the outset helps avoid premature failures and reduces the need for redesign later.

Consult a Bonding Specialist for Validation

Even with clear guidelines, there is real value in validating your choice before you commit to production. MPI Matco’s combination of product knowledge and testing capability gives you confidence that the Tesa ACX Plus tape specified for your project is fit for purpose and ready to perform in the field.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Tesa ACX Plus tape can transform how your assemblies perform, from cleaner aesthetics to long-term strength in demanding environments. With the right combination of substrate preparation, tape selection and application technique, Tesa ACX Plustapes become a reliable bonding solution for signage, panels and a wide range of industrial applications.

At MPI Matco, we help you move from theory to proven performance with technical guidance, lab testing and custom converting for ACX Plus tapes. If you are ready to validate the best ACX Plus solution for your project, contact our bonding specialists for a tape recommendation or to request application testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tesa ACX Plus strong enough to replace rivets or welds?

In many applications, Tesa ACX Plus tapes can replace rivets, screws or welds while still delivering very high bond strength. When the tape is selected correctly, surfaces are prepared properly and the bond is allowed to reach full cure, ACX Plus tapes can handle significant static loads and dynamic stresses. That said, every assembly is unique, so we always recommend validating performance on your actual substrates. MPI Matco can help you run trials and testing to confirm whether this type of tape is a suitable alternative for your design.

Which Tesa ACX Plus tape is best for outdoor signage?

For outdoor signage, the ideal ACX Plus tape is one that combines high adhesion with good resistance to UV, temperature changes and moisture. In practice, this usually means choosing an acrylic foam construction that is rated for exterior use, offers long-term weatherability and can accommodate thermal expansion between materials such as aluminum, ACM panels, glass or acrylic. The best option depends on your panel size, substrates and mounting method, so our team often reviews drawings or samples before recommending a specific ACX Plus grade.

Can ACX Plus be die-cut into custom shapes?

Yes. tesa® ACX Plus can be slit, spooled and die-cut into custom widths, pads, discs and complex shapes to match your application. At MPI Matco, we routinely convert ACX Plus into parts that are ready to apply on the production line, which helps reduce waste, improve placement accuracy and speed up assembly. If you share your drawings or dimensions, we can advise on the most efficient die-cut format for your project.