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Advances in Adhesive Dispensing Technology Move Packaging To Greater Sustainability

Rick Pallante Nordson Corporation

Advances in Adhesive Dispensing Technology Move Packaging To Greater Sustainability The world is changing. Resources we once considered endless are becoming both limited and costly. Adhesives are produced using petroleum, energy and water. Recent adhesive cost increases of 10 to 25 percent, along with a decrease in the availability of petroleumbased resin, a key component of adhesive, have put a significant strain on packaging manufacturers. The once-prevalent practice of placing any amount of adhesive on a package to assure a strong seal or bond - is no longer economically nor environmentally feasible. As a result, packagers require new options that will overcome these challenges while preserving the integrity of their processes and bottom lines. Why is Packaging Important? Despite calls by extremists to eliminate packaging , primary and secondary packaging performs a number of critical functions -- from allowing for easier goods movement and efficient processing between manufacturers and distributors -- to serving as an information source for consumers and providing brand recognition. Because of increasing resource costs and environmental concerns, a number of significant efforts have been made to create packaging that effectively achieves shipping and commercial objectives while also being green. According to Kermit the Frog, of Muppets fame, It aint easy being green. If only Kermit had known, 30-years later, that his words would still ring true. Today, many companies talk about being green, but what does it really mean? According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, being green isnt subjective. A product or process must meet one or more of following criteria: Is beneficial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle cycles

Adhesives, Oil and Water The mathematics of adhesive production and consumption are relatively simple and demonstrate the dramatic conservationor greening that adhesive reduction can deliver. Adhesive production and processing requires two very limited resources: oil and water. It takes 1 lb. of oil to make 1 lb. of adhesive. So, for every 315 lbs of adhesive saved, 1 barrel of oil and 7,560 gallons of water are conserved. Manufacturers who minimize adhesive usage will not only conserve vital resources, they will also find that their processes are more efficient, more cost-effective and, ultimately, more profitable. Adhesive Evolution Sticking To Sustainability Goals Adhesive manufacturers are doing their part by providing improvements and alternatives to existing hot melt materials. Smaller adhesive forms, metallocene-based adhesives and low-temperature adhesives all offer sustainable benefits. Smaller Adhesive Forms Advanced adhesive extrusion technology has given rise to more efficient, smaller adhesive forms. New techniques, such as underwater extrusion, allow adhesives to be cut into shapes, which are easier for packagers to process. These improved manufacturing techniques also use less energy, making shapes, such as pellets, less costly to manufacture. Smaller adhesive forms are also easier to melt and are more efficiently transported by automatic filling systems, whose sustainability and costs savings benefits will be discussed later in this paper. Metallocene-based Adhesives Because of their availability, low cost and excellent bonding characteristics, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesives have been the material of choice for packagers for the past 40 years. Metallocene adhesives, introduced in the early 1990s offered improved performance, less density and reduced adhesive use, but at a higher cost. Lower Temperature Adhesives New lower temperature adhesives also promise energy savings. Applied at 200 to 250 degrees F, low temperature adhesives can reduce energy costs to operate a single adhesive melter by an average of 3 cents per hour. While their sharp viscosity curve makes precise temperature control necessary and makes lower temperature adhesives more susceptible to substrate and ambient temperature effects, these adhesives can lessen char formation and reduce operator exposure to higher-temperature materials, surfaces and components.

Advancing Green, Reducing Costs And Staying In The Black While most everyone recognizes the importance of environmental responsibility, sustainability and the movement to greener packaging, these goals must be balanced with business objectives. The bottom line reads like this: There must be a cost benefit to packagers if sustainability and going green are to gain momentum and advance. Equipment manufacturers must provide innovation and technology solutions that enable packagers to achieve sustainability, improve efficiency and maintain or reduce costs. Here are several such examples: Automatic Filling Systems When the tank on an adhesive melter runs low, a number of problems can occur. Adding a large amount of adhesive to a melter at once causes the adhesive temperature to dramatically decrease, and requires time for the melter to melt the influx of new adhesive and return to its set operating temperature. This scenario, commonly called thermal shock cuts into productivity while the line waits for the melter to return to the correct temperature and also causes a spike energy use. In addition, if adhesive is applied during this cycle, at less than optimal temperature, it will not bond properly, creating wasted product and product rejects Automatic fill systems maintain optimal tank levels and adhesive temperatures at all times, relieving operators of the filling and monitoring task and improving both efficiency and bonding quality. These systems save adhesive by eliminating waste associated with manual overfilling and spillage, preventing thermal shock and dramatically reducing the volume of char-producing contaminants entering the tank. As a result, packagers also benefit from fewer missed adhesive beads, bad bonds and reject packages. Closed Label-Application Systems Traditional wheel-pot labeling systems are open to the air, suffer from poor insulation, requiring more energy to keep the adhesive temperature at optimal application levels and permit debris to enter the molten adhesive container or pot. To maintain adequate application temperature, constant re-heating of the adhesive is required. Re-heating increases adhesive charring and negatively impacts adhesive viscosity, eventually rendering the material in the wheel-pot unusable. Contaminants that collect in the open wheel pot also increase charring and can be applied to the product, causing poor bonding or unsightly product rejects. As a result, open systems require constant cleaning and maintenance during which unusable adhesive must be removed and disposed of, costing labelers time and money.

Open wheel-pot systems also have numerous moving parts that wear with age and contribute to label application issues such as wrinkling and folded-back labels. The parts require additional maintenance and upkeep costs. New closed systems prevent heat from dissipating into the ambient air, reducing energy use and operational costs. Precise application of adhesive, using fiberized spray or slot guns technology eliminates the imprecise deposition and adhesive slinging associated with open systems. Precision dispensing provides a stable, consistent bond while also minimizing the amount of adhesive needed on each label. Consistent, accurate adhesive application makes label removal easier during the recycling process. The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers recommends that adhesive usage and surface area covered be minimized to the greatest extent possible to maximize PET (polyethylene terephthalate) yield. In a typical labeling operation a closed system will produce an average savings of 0.24 g/bottle of adhesive savings, 12,936 kWh and $1,035 per year. Increasing Precision In Traditional Application In a typical packaging application, reducing nozzle orifice size just 1/64 can save 25 percent in adhesive volume, which can reduce adhesive usage by up to 2400 lbs per year. Conversely, a too-large nozzle or inconsistent adhesive flow is costly. A bead doubled from 1/16 to 1/8 (1.58 to 3.175mm) consumes four times more adhesive.

Today, manufacturers are using smaller package sizes to better meet sustainability and source reduction targets and consumer demand for smaller or individual servings. These smaller packages require improved process control and adhesive dispensing accuracy.

Quality nozzles manufactured to strict tolerances produce quick return on investment through adhesive savings and reduced scrap. Strict quality control also minimizes the occurrence of burrs or other imperfections than contribute to nozzle clogging and increased downtime. Using precision manufactured nozzles that deliver consistent, shotto-shot accuracy can reduce adhesive use and waste in a typical packaging application by 3,172 lbs. per year. Better Energy Efficiency Its a relatively common practice to leave adhesive application equipment turned on around the clock, despite the energy savings that can be realized by turning the equipment off. The justification? Its crucial for the equipment to be at optimal temperature and ready to go when each shift begins. To remedy this problem, most new adhesive melters come equipped with 7-day clock function, which allows manufacturers to program their adhesive application equipment to turn on and off, assuring that they will be heated and readybut only when needed. Without the 7-day clock a typical single melter can waste $270 of electricity each year.

Innovative Application Techniques Create Savings Using New and Existing Processes A number of new application methods, including the use of both hot and cold adhesives for dual gluing as well as adhesive foaming and the intermittent stitching of adhesive offer manufacturers creative means of reducing adhesive costs with minimal equipment investment. Dual Gluing Delivers The Best Attributes of Hot and Cold Adhesives Dual gluing is employs both cold glue and hot melt adhesives, rather than hot melt exclusively. Cold glue provides a cost-effective, secure seal with excellent fiber tear properties. Its drawback is a longer open-time and cure time which can slow production processes. Applying a small amount of hot melt adhesive keeps the package closed until the cold glue penetrates the board stock and dries or sets. Although dual gluing requires a second set of equipment, it enables significant savings, reducing hot melt use by more than 50 percent. Foaming Finds Its Niche Using New Compact, Cost-Effective Technology Hot melt adhesive foaming is accomplished by injecting and mixing inert gas into the adhesive, which expands to produce a closed-cell foam with reduced density. First introduced in the 1980s, foaming systems required a complete stand-alone melting system and significant capital expense in order to realize a reduction in adhesive use.

Today, new compact systems can be retrofitted to existing adhesive melters already in operation. In case sealing applications, foaming can deliver a 30 to 40 percent decrease in density, adhesive use and cost. In addition to its bonding and sealing properties, foaming also provides excellent gap-filling, making it ideal for warped board surfaces. Adhesive Stitching $aves, With Existing Pattern Controls Most packaging application already employ pattern controls which tell the system when to open and close valves in the dispensing guns to deliver specified lengths of adhesive beads to meet individual package requirements. Most pattern controls that have been commercially available for the past 10+ years are capable of being programmed to apply short, small beads instead of long, continuous beads of adhesive. Because the strength of the individual adhesive bond is strongest at the beginning and the end points of the adhesive bead, using shorter, intermittent beads delivers the same tight sealing, bond strength and fiber tear as longer, continuous beads of adhesive. Its a simple yet effective concept and, with proper management, stitching can reduce adhesive consumption in many applications by up to 50 percent. The Ripple Effect Visualize adhesive application on the package, container or label as the stone that makes a splash in the water. Reducing adhesive use and costs during the packaging process are only one aspect of achieving packaging sustainability. As the ripples expand, we can see how the entire process is affected, both before and after the adhesive is applied. Pre-Adhesive Application Reducing adhesive use reduces the demand for oil, water and energy used in its production. In addition, shipping of raw materials, packaging, handling and transportation of adhesives is also reduced. Post-Adhesive Application Reduced adhesive use improves the recycleability of PET and paperboard stocks while reducing the amount of adhesive and non-recycleable materials that are destined for land fills. Packaging machinery and equipment manufacturers have the opportunity to act as catalysts in the packaging industrys mandate for sustainability. Even seemingly small changes can result in substantial savings. Multiple changes produce compounded savings and can revolutionize entire operations.

Once just an industry buzzword, sustainability has come of age as packagers learn that wise investmentin new technology and processes and simple upgrades to existing processes can produce a positive return on investment economically and environmentally.

Footnotes: 1. Typical labeling operation = 16hrs/day, 6 days/week, 50 weeks/year 2. Typical packaging operation = 16hrs/day, 6 days/week, 50 weeks/year, 20 packages per minute. 3. Typical single melter = 16hrs/day, 6 days/week, 50 weeks/year, 0.08/KWh

For more information on sustainable and labeling solutions, contact Nordson Corporation (toll-free) 1-800-683-2314, or visit us on the web at www.nordson.com

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