We are frequently asked about the convenience of switching from traditional stretch wrap for palletizing systems to the adhesive dispensing based alternative. Given that this is a reoccurring question and the advantages can be clearly defined, we have decided what better way to talk about the answers than on our blog.
1. First and foremost, savings are the most obvious benefit. Switching to adhesive based palletizing processes brings immediate savings by removing the large amounts of stretch wrap used to secure pallets in a traditional method. You are then automatically reducing material investment, material storage costs and material disposal costs.
2. Additionally, adhesive based systems with palletizers are completely automated, so there’s no need for the operator to handle heavy packages or to use blades to complete the stretch wrapping process. This means a safer work environment is possible.
3. Adhesive based palletizing systems minimize transportation damages. Adhesive creates a secure bond between stacks, to prevent movement during handling and transport. This method protects the outer box, the contents, and minimizes product damage for the largest benefit: preventing an unhappy customer and returned product.
4. Avoid storage damages. When product needs to be kept in stock, sometimes storage conditions are not the most adequate. If even the slightest bit of moisture makes contact with the product, the stretch film will prevent it from evaporating. This keeps it in contact with the product, which will most likely affect the outer packaging and the product itself. 
5. Aside from bringing important improvements to your production process, palletizer systems with adhesive are easy to install in an already existing line. Whether you are using hot melt application or a cold glue spray, palletizing systems can be mounted into any existing conveyor.
To help you understand what type of adhesive based system might best fit your needs, we have prepared a small guide to efficient palletizing. You can download it today by following this link.
If you would like to learn more about palletizing systems, click here.
Check back soon to see whats happening next.
I often hear colleagues discussing their take on various adhesive related topics. Most recently, the conversation was about hot melt glue systems vs. tape systems in the packaging industry. I questioned whether one system was truly more beneficial than the other or if it was just the right choice for a few specific groups. And if not, why not? In formulating an opinion, I thought whom better to ask than my colleagues who are specialized in both? From a cumulative response, a pattern was discovered. I noticed a set of 5 differences. I have listed them here with the hope that this might also benefit you when trying to decide which system is right for you.
1) Consumption: If you have sustainability requirements, its important to consider how much glue is being used. A hot melt system applies less adhesive with the ability to provide a shorter glue line. Small amounts are used on the minor flaps as compared to a roll that uses more glue.
The tape roll is replaced once it reaches its end, but before the entire tape roll can be used. Most companies that tape will replace the roll that is not finished during changeover. This can cause up to 10% waste. No replacement is needed with hot melt. In addition to this, about three inches past the end on both sides in necessary to provide the strength needed. Which leads me to our next point…
2) Strength: Strength is important in most situations. Broken bonds can result in product jams on the line. Once the shipment makes it out for delivery, a deeper strength is sometimes required for adverse weather or wear-and-tear caused by moving and re-use. Hot melt not only burns into the microfibers of the box, but also continues to burn several minutes past the compression section of the parent machine. Product tape does not gain additional strength after application.
A glued box is more secure after glue has been applied and transformed from liquid to solid. The box will remain sealed until the product has reached the end user. If using tape, cutting the tape can easily open the box. To re-seal, new tape must be applied.
How do you know what type of strength you need? Well, subsequent drop tests show that boxes sealed with hot-melt outperform those with tape. The deeper bond is necessary if you believe you need additional security with the possibility of a dropped box.
3) Price: I am confident that most of you are looking to find the best deal. Unfortunately, one place that tape and hot-melt systems are alike is in their fluctuation of price off-set by the cost of raw materials. However, in order to produce tape, a large and expensive coating system is required to apply costly pressure sensitive adhesive to the product. This is an additional step in the process adding additional cost to the customer. Once adhesive is manufactured, it is shipped in a number of sizes, from 25-pound boxes to 250-pound totes; all of which have an effect on the price of adhesive.
Packaging companies that use corrugated boxes can use a less expensive adhesive (EVA) to lower cost. Hot melt equipment has the ability to control the amount of adhesive used through several different methods: pattern placement, pattern length, and stitching the same length (up to a 50% reduction).
The actual adhesive for a hot-melt system costs somewhere between $2.50 and $3.50/lbs. Tape is about $8-$10 a roll.
4) Safety: When it comes to safety, as with most machinery equipment, both hot-melt and tape systems involve some risk. Hot melt is usually installed inside a secure machine that you cannot operate while the doors are open. If touched improperly, there is a risk of burn. However, there are a number of systems available with safety features available to prevent this from happening. One example is a locking lid feature. This inhibits the user from coming in contact with the unit during operation to prevent any potential burn. Another feature, as seen on Valco Melton’s new EC Series Melter, forces the unit to lose pressure if the doors are open. On the other hand, tape machines’ cutting blades can be dangerous. During operation and when changing out the roll, the cutting blade is exposed offering little protection to operators.
5) Maintenance Cost: For both tape machines and hot melt equipment, the maintenance is about the same. Each has moving parts that may fail. Standard preventative maintenance is also necessary for both. Knowing this, it’s important to compare the potential cost of maintenance care. Hot melt equipment has a larger upfront cost ranging from 5-10k for a new line with 5-7 year life. New, high-end tape machines can cost around the same. Others will cost less overall if you use the same machine more than 10 years. Hot-melt parts are changed out more often than tape seal equipment. However, the cost of these parts can be recovered if you can focus on using less glue to provide a superior bond.
Did you find this information useful? We have prepared a comparative chart summarizing these and other key points to help you determine the optimal solution for your packaging line. Download the Hot Melt vs. Tape 'cheat-sheet' here.
Remember that for additional information or to learn more about our products and solutions from one of our leading experts at anytime, you may contact us directly here.
Check out this new case-study published by PaperBoard Packaging on Minnesota Corrugated Box after they implemented ValcoMelton's ClearVision GlueChek System: Eliminating Glue Issues to Create Perfect Boxes. Minnesota Paper Box is mentioned by PaperBoard as having over 250,000 square ft of space in its state-of-the-art facility.
This is one of many positive stories that I have received about box companies that have added camera inspection systems to their corrugated production lines. If you'd like to find out more about Valco Melton's ClearVision GlueChek System and what it can do for you, let me know here.
Today, the corrugated box industry is very competitive. Not only do you need to deliver corrugated boxes in record times at unbeatable prices, but with the various technologies available, the standard requirements for corrugated box manufacturers have been set extremely high. You are now expected to deliver flawless, 100% defect-free boxes. In an effort to help you manufacture boxes at the highest possible level, we have gathered together a few important points, learned from over 60 years in the industry.
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Keep it clean! I'm sure many of you are tired of hearing those three words. But, as many others will tell you, it wouldn't need to be said, if everyone made sure to do it. If you are working with an older glue pot and wheels, you know they tend to generate a little glue slinging. This can affect the quality of the glue joint and create stickers where boxes in the bundle will stick together. Glue pot and wheels can also create adhesive contamination with dust and debris. Additionally, the metered amount of adhesive is hard to maintain to ensure a proper bond. As for adhesive applicators, although they are the cleanest choice, it is important to check them regularly to avoid possible nozzle or applicator clogging.
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Minimize any possibility of human error. This may seem impossible to some, but it can be done. When working with different sized board panels and speed requirements in the corrugated box industry, it is necessary for the operator to constantly adjust the pattern length and placement in order to keep a consistent and high quality adhesive application. This is a time consuming task; any distraction can cause a mis-adjustment that will result in product loss. It is now possible to upgrade your adhesive application system to a gluing station with automated pattern changes or auto-glue, which ensures a proper glue-lap joint regardless of the length of the tab or panel.
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Ensure that the board has been glued, folded and printed properly. These days this is possible by incorporating a quality assurance vision inspection system into your process. Quality assurance has 3 components: identify the non-conforming product, remove it from the production line, and monitor the lines’ statistics to hold plant operations accountable. All 3 are possible in ways not imagined five years ago in the corrugated box manufacturing industry, with vision-based quality assurance. Snapshots of defective products are saved and catalogued. Machine performance can be monitored remotely and statistically analyzed. The same statistics enable managers to be aware of developments on converting lines as they occur and to take corrective action in a timely fashion.
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Scrap can blotch your reputation. For a flawless result, incorporate a scrap or tab removal system to prevent hanging scrap that has not been properly cut after being folded into the box.
5. Get rid of defective boxes before they make it onto your delivery truck. Bundle ejection systems are used in conjunction with a quality assurance system to guarantee that the defective boards are removed from manufacturing and not shipped to the customer. As the second major component of a Quality Assurance System in paper converting, removing defective product from the line automatically is unparalleled in regards to effectiveness. All other options rely on operators to sort product or catch errors and take them out of the stream. Automatic ejection takes care of the removal without interrupting production.
By implementing these tips into your manufacturing process today, you will begin seeing its direct impact on the quality of your corrugated boxes. If you are interested in hearing more about any of these topics, please let me know!
To get your free, downloadable copy of this information with an additional 2 bonus tips! follow this link For additional information or to speak directly with one of our leading gluing and quality assurance experts, contact us here.
To be notified when a new tip or story has been added to our blog, receive updates automatically. It's easy! Just add this blog's feed to a feedreeder of your choice by selecting the orange RSS icon at the top of this screen. If this sounds like brain science to you (and that is not your specialty), it's not! I would be happy to help you learn how to do this. It is a great way to stay up on news across a range of sources from one location, saving you valuable time. Just let me know! - Laura Amend, Global Marketing Director
More and more, manufacturers within the industry are realizing the benefits of providing perfect boxes to their customers… improved client trust and retention, fewer instances of damaged product due to defective boxes, increased volume, and a higher price per box. We noticed this change as it was happening years ago and started quickly working on new technology to meet the required need to innovate the old standard.
Well, a young, dynamic company named ClearVision Technologies, Inc. out of Vancouver, Canada, started by a group of talented entrepeneurs, beat everyone to the punch. With a devote focus to solve the industry’s issue by creating the best camera inspection technology, and to do it first, they were recognized by the very strongest companies as the solution that could actually guarantee a perfect box for its customers. Their expertise built from years of research and 
working one on one with customers to discover an innovative vision inspection solution, produced thousands of real examples showing exactly how they could now do this. After successful installation at one of the largest integrators, the product went to market. As a result, it wasn’t hard for others to realize the decision to invest in ClearVision™.
Valco Melton quickly recognized that ClearVision™ had become the corrugated industry standard. As the leading adhesive dispensing company in the industry for almost 40 years, we wanted to make sure that the camera inspection experts joined our team. The synergies of the two companies were perfect, and so ClearVision™ was added to Valco Melton’s umbrella of solutions for adhesive dispensing and vision inspection.
With the added knowledge and experience from Valco Melton’s adhesive application division, ClearVision™ has continued to show the industry how it can also find peace in The Perfect Box™. To date, more than 284 box plants worldwide have discovered the gains and additional cost benefits with ClearVision™ box inspection and bundle ejection systems:
- Detection systems only spray bad boxes.
- Operators cannot be relied upon to remove bad boxes.
- Research shows fewer than 10% of sprayed boxes are removed.
- You cannot promise your customers 100% quality unless you are certain of removing non-conforming product.
To learn more about how ClearVision’s patented camera technology is changing the way box makers do business, and how you too can take advantage of this opportunity to deliver more value to your customers click here.
Despite a wide range of opinions and options in regards to manufacturing in the corrugated industry, the most successful box makers worldwide all seem to agree on one thing; that is, to provide customers with anything less than defect-free boxes 1
00% of the time is unacceptable. It used to be that manufacturers had to expect a certain margin of error, running machines slowly, and spending time manually checking each bundle as best they could to ensure each customer was going to keep coming back. With new vision technology innovations out in the market and successfully guaranteeing The Perfect Box™, bad box excuses are now just excuses. Customers have found that there are companies with camera inspection technology on their production lines that can actually produce a complete and perfect bundle at extremely high speeds without the need for operator intervention. This means less waste, higher production rates, and a guarantee that boxes once delivered won’t cause manufacturing problems for the end user.
Do you want to hear more? Let me know: esource@valcomelton.com
This just in! Another exciting happening has just recently been released to the public by Valco Melton. You are hearing it here first!
I am excited to officially announce that Valco Melton, a world leading designer and international marketer of adhesive application equipment and quality assurance (QA) systems is pleased to announce the acquisition of ClearVision Technologies, Inc. of Vancouver, Canada.
ClearVision Technologies, Inc. has become the market leader in the development and engineering of vision-based inspection products for corrugated box manufacturing. Since 2004, ClearVision Technologies has extensively pioneered intelligent camera technologies for packaging markets and has developed a top-tier suite of solutions that have been leading the industry in bringing QA capabilities to new heights. ClearVision™ will now become a brand name of quality assurance (QA) solutions by Valco Melton.
The acquisition will complement the Valco Melton family of products, combining ClearVision Technologies’ expertise in vision systems with Valco Melton’s world-wide coverage for service and support. This acquisition is another example of Valco Melton’s continued commitment towards being the world leader in adhesive dispensing and QA systems. To learn more about our organization and vision for the future, we invite you to please contact us by visiting here.
Valco Melton will display an impressive line of coating and converting technologies at the upcoming ICE Europe show in Munich, Germany, November 8-10. As the world’s leading event in conversion industries such as paper, film, foil, and nonwovens, ICE Europe is the ideal place to come and see leading companies like Valco Melton, display their latest, top-notch coating and converting equipment.
At this show, several notable products will be featured, including Valco Melton’s FlexCoat™ Head with standard slot and FlexCoat™ head with rotating bar technology. These two applicators offer extreme flexibility by supporting multiple adhesive application needs while reducing spare parts inventory and improving production efficiency.
Also on display will be one of Valco Melton’s latest Coating Cassettes. Designed to provide high precision adhesive application, these cassettes can process a great range of materials including textiles, papers, foams, and foil. Finally, Valco Melton will feature one of their state of the art drum melters. These easy to install melters are user friendly and offer maximum reliability with minimal downtime.
Discover more by visiting Valco Melton at Hall B5, Stand 1016. We look forward to seeing you there! If you'd like to make an appointment now to visit with one of our expert sales engineers while at the show, you can easily do that today:
What I've found through my research is that few companies can boast the knowledge and expertise that Valco Melton has acquired by working on special engineered projects with market leading companies in the coating and converting industries over the past number of years. When speaking with one of our Label, Coating & Converting Division Sales Experts, Bob Taylor, he explained that our sales & engineering groups have a skilled understanding of our customer’s requirements 
and can offer expert guidance on hot melt and cold glue adhesive coating on numerous substrates including paper, foil, film, foam, and release liner to the Label and converting industries. From standard coating equipment to “turn-key” engineered solutions that can integrate into customers' existing equipment or solve a specific problem, Valco Melton systems are proven to perform to the desired exact specifications.
Our Engineered Products Group designs and manufactures complete stations to be incorporated into both existing production lines including retro-fittings into most label presses or new OEM supplied lines. These stations often include web control, tension control devices, nip roll configurations and integration into existing control systems as required.
Our ability to customise and design solutions to customer requirements combined with our standard fluid handling systems, including melt tank options from 10–600kg capacity and new high output drum unloaders and customized control systems, provides the perfect solution for single sourcing the customer’s complete adhesive application requirements.
Valco Melton slot-die coating systems can be configured to apply coatings with zero scrap caused by unglued web following reel changeover or production stops. Their unique re-circulating systems can be presented as an option to improve temperature stability for accuracy to existing Gravure coating systems.
Our systems also coat at the highest precision with a wide range of adhesives such as PSA, UV hot melt, heat-seal adhesives, barrier adhesives or water based acrylic emulsions.
And last, but certainly not least, our adhesive applicators feature diverse configuration options to meet and exceed each user’s specific needs with customised coating widths, removable blade-sets for bi-directional coating and fast width / pattern changes along with manual or motorised width regulation and options for integrated motorised bar for ultra-thin, streak free adhesive coatings are all available.
Valco Melton supports its customers from over 70 countries worldwide through a network of direct sales and distributorships. It has been a leader in providing the most innovative gluing application and quality inspection systems since 1952. For questions, or to watch more about this now, visit us here: http://info.valcomelton.com/about-coating-and-converting-gluing-solutions?&t=89654
-Laura Amend
