At Mueller Custom Cut, our ability to create innovative solutions for our customers is enhanced by our business partnership with 3M.
The company offers a wide range of options when it comes to fastening challenges. We can take those solutions and customize them to suit your business needs.
Here’s how you can use Mueller’s connection to 3M Dual Lock products to your advantage.
What Are 3M Dual Lock Products?
3M Dual Lock products are alternative attachments to solutions such as screws, clips, or hidden fasteners. These fastening systems feature mushroom-shaped polyolefin stems on a continuous backing that interlock to provide a strong, reliable attachment. They’re positive-locking, reclosable, blind fasteners.
The Dual Lock products from 3M are principally used to seal rigid and semi-rigid surfaces such as instrument panel bezels, headliners, trim or door panels, and other automotive interior trim. They’re available in three stem densities (170, 250, or 400 stems/inch), which allows you to procure the right strength for your application.
3M Dual Lock products work well as quick-release access panel fasteners. Die-cut parts may be used to secure accessories to a windshield or dashboard. Quick-release fastening may also be used for changeable signage and display units or interior panels that require maintenance.
Here are some more features of these reclosable fasteners:
- Durability: open & close up to 1,000 times before losing tensile strength
- Pressure-sensitive adhesive easily forms powerful bond
- Moisture, temperature, & UV resistant
- Simple to apply & maintain
- Easy to clean out dust or debris
Most 3M Dual Lock products will attach best to high surface energy substrates—such as stainless steel and aluminum—or medium surface energy substrates—such as ABS, polycarbonate, and acrylic.
What Are the Benefits of 3M Dual Lock Products?
3M Dual Lock products ensure optimal performance with benefits such as:
- Invisible attachment
- Easy alignment
- Easy positioning
- Vibration reduction
- Bridging
- Reclosability
- Variety of forms
- Wide application possibilities
There is a low profile option of the reclosable fastener as well, which is about half the thickness of the standard version.
What Are Some Applications for 3M Dual Lock Products?
3M Dual Lock products offer a fast, flexible attachment for a wide range of applications.
These fasteners were designed for items that need to be secured firmly, but also removed for maintenance or refurbishment. They work in applications where similar parts have to be changed out. These attachments are suitable for indoor or outdoor use because the stems and heads withstand wet, damp, hot, or cold conditions.
Here are some examples of 3M Dual Lock product applications:
- Interior panel attachments
- Passenger rail cars
- Buses
- Ambulances
- Marine vessels
- Elevator
- Removable access panels
- Water and natural gas valves
- Electrical junctions
- Elevator control boxes
- Recessed lighting
- Mobile mounting
- Windshields
- Vehicle dashboards
- Electronics, sensors, or trackers
- Motorcycle or RV accessories
- Signage & display
- Free-standing signage
- Kiosk assembly
- Point-of-sale system attachment
- Placards or retail price tags
3M Dual Lock products can eliminate rework, improve your productivity, and enhance your designs.
What Can Mueller Do with 3M Dual Lock Products?
Mueller is a 3M converter partner, so we get direct access to 3M’s Dual Lock line, as well as other 3M products. We can take these solutions from our business partner and adapt them to meet your application’s specific needs.
We can convert 3M Dual Lock products into whatever form your assembly line needs with our unique capabilities. The fasteners can be die-cut, supplied in slit rolls, kiss-cut, and much more.
Mueller can maximize raw material usage by utilizing our technology base. This allows us to get the most parts possible per square foot of 3M material. We can reduce costs for customers by converting parts quickly.
Working with a 3M automotive converter like Mueller comes with many perks, including:
- Materials expertise
- Value-added converted formats
- Prototyping
- Engineering consulting
- Efficiency
Our goal is to solve your problem and save you money by using high-quality 3M products. To make life easier for your workers and still accomplish the same objective, we strive to give you a solution you can work with.
When you choose 3M and Mueller, you’ll get a product that matches your exact specifications. It will be composed of the most ideal material and available in the quantity you need. Compared to other solutions, our collaborative process is generally quicker and yields more uniform results.
3M Dual Lock Products: The Mueller Advantage
Now you know the magic Mueller can make when it comes to 3M Dual Lock products.
With a variety of strengths, thicknesses, and adhesives, these reclosable fasteners can replace clips, screws, and other traditional fastening methods. They provide a strong, reliable attachment, but can still be removed easily.
Mueller can transform a 3M Dual Lock product into a customized solution that meets your business needs. If these fasteners are ideal for your next project, give us a call!
