Feminine Care

There are several factors that can affect spray adhesive technology, such as heat, time, and oxidation. All of these can lead to other issues along the production line and lead to downtimes. To avoid delays and quality control issues such as overspray and poor coverage, Henkel has developed a list of spray adhesive troubleshooting tips to improve production efficiency and reduce unnecessary downtimes. Our proven methodology helps to establish baseline settings and then further fine-tune each application to reach optimal performance.

Slot coating adhesive applications for feminine care products require direct contact between the hot melt applicator nozzle and the substrate. To achieve maximum production efficiency, understanding the slot coating process is important. Some common challenges are position of the applicator, nozzle build-up or damage, poor coverage, and bleed-through. Often these issues are related to incorrect process settings, poor equipment maintenance, substrate changes, or some combination of these variables.

Hot melt adhesives are designed to cure quickly and are often used in fast paced packaging lines where efficiency and speed are important factors. However, heat, contaminants and oxidation can cause char which can clog hoses, filters, and nozzles. Preventing char is vital to avoid costly delays and repairs, especially because once char is in the system, it can be difficult to remove and can damage hot melt adhesive equipment.

Hot melt adhesive degradation is another factor that can lead to char. However, this can be avoided by implementing a tank setback mode. This will reduce wait times due to reheating or cooling the hot melt adhesive and keeps the material from darkening or char from forming due to being heated for too long.

Overfilling or underfilling hot melt tanks can cause of wide variety of issues which can cause delays. For this reason, establishing a regular tank filling routine will help prevent char from forming, as well as keeps the temperature in the tank consistent. We have developed a list of best practices that addresses a range of issues surrounding hot melt tank refilling.

To avoid workplace accidents, proper protections should be in place to prevent injuries and maintenance of hot melt adhesive equipment should carried out according to the equipment manufacturer specifications. By following our list of safety best practices, you can protect hot melt equipment operators against injury and reduce unexpected delays during production assemblies.