Hot melt adhesive was originally developed by Walter G. Nord and the U.S. Automatic Company. Nord headed a project involving the production of socialized parts for the U.S. national defense effort during WWII. After the war this led to the development of a range of equipment designed for the application of hot melt adhesives.
Today, hot melt adhesive technology is an essential part of many industries and has a wide range of applications from car manufacturing to packaging. Hot melt glues are solvent-free; in general they are in a solid form at temperatures lower than 180°F (82°C). At temperatures exceeding 180°F they have the form of low viscosity fluids.
There are a number of hot melt adhesives in use today. The most common are:
- Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)
- Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA)
- Amorphous Poly-Olefin (APO/APAO)
- Polyamide Adhesive (PA)
An adhesive melter enables an uninterrupted flow of hot met glue which is suitable for increasing the precision and efficient of high volume production lines. The size of your melt tank will depend on the size of your operation, your industry and your hot melt applications.
Choosing a glue tank that is too small will result in operators having to spend precious time refilling the tank with glue. It can also result in “slugging” the glue which can effect the adhesive bonding properties and slow down your overall operation. On the other hand, having a melt tank that is to large for your application will result in charring and degradation of the hot melt adhesive. This mistake can cause costly maintenance on your glue system and over time your adhesive will not bond correctly. Whether you are using manual, slot coating, automatic spray or extrusion applications, Sure Tack Systems provides STS supply units with melt tanks available in 12, 25, 37, 50, 100, and 200lb capacities.
Choosing the right size melt tank for your application is essential if you want your business to succeed. Contact us at Sure Tack Systems today and let us match you up with a melt tank.
