Visit to 3M

The importance and impact of innovation in today's competitive market is most evident from 3M. 3M's R&D department is the key to its current standing as a world leader in terms of innovation and answering the public's needs. By churning out simple yet ingenious inventions such as Post-it Notes (which I am going to elaborate on later on) and Scotch Tape, 3M has brought its name to glory for being a leader in innovation worldwide.

I remember using Post-it Notes to jot down whatever I wanted to and sticking them to the walls for the sole purpose of having fun when I was still in Primary School. Even now, Post-it Notes are really helpful for writing down reminders in my daily life. I find it rather intriguing how a simple use of being able to stick to other objects can separate an average from a glorifying innovation. This simple ability has sustained the attractiveness of Post-it Notes all the way from a decade ago till this day. Personally, I feel that the crucial point behind this success is its clever target on daily life convenience. Post-it Notes truly outshine other note-taking inventions in terms of convenience as it takes little time to stick something on the wall at a specific location than having to use magnets or other traditional ways which might even damage the wall paint. Therefore, 3M has truly understood the feelings of the consumers and not only invented one of the most widely used adhesive products, but has constantly improved and brought this simple product to the ears of most Singaporeans.

The science behind adhesive(sticking) properties of the Post-it Note is pressure-sensitive sticking abilities. When pressure is applied onto Post-it Notes, the adhesives behind 'join' with its contact surface, allowing it to sustain the weight of the note without dropping. It is made such that these adhesives only create weak bonds with the surface so that users can peel them off with ease later on.