Before troubleshooting a Hot Melt System, refer to the safety procedures in your OEM manual for that machine.
Hot Melt – Trouble Shooting Tips
| Problem | Possible Cause | Suggested Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Stringing | Application temp. too low | Raise application temp. DO NOT exceed recommended application temp. |
| Viscosity of adhesives is HIGH | Raise application temp. DO NOT exceed recommended application temp. | |
| Substrate is too far from applicator tip. | Position substrate closer to tip. | |
| Substrate temp. is too cold | Pre-warm substrate to increase surface temperature. | |
| Poor nozzle shut off | Clean Nozzle and repair. If problem persists, contact equipment manufacturer. | |
| Charring/Gelling in Reservoir | Reservoir temp. too high | Lower reservoir temperature |
| Faulty heating control | Check control and replace | |
| Surface oxidation | Maintain level of adhesive in reservoir. Keep reservoir covered; with some adhesives, nitrogen blanket may be necessary. | |
| Dripping Nozzle | Worn needle or seat | Replace |
| Nozzle dirty | Clean or replace | |
| Air in Adhesive at Applicator Tip | Extrusion head faulty | Consult with the manufacturer for a recommendation |
| Reservoir is out of adhesive. | Bleed lines and refill reservoir. Reset or replace valve. | |
| Poor Adhesion | Adhesive bond shows that the glue film is mostly on one surface which is caused by improper penetration of the secondary surface. | A) Apply heavier glue film and/or apply adhesive hotter. Sometimes both approaches are necessary.
B) In the case of very conductive surfaces (metals) the substrate may have to be preheated to assure proper penetration of the secondary substrate. |
| Bond failure shows adhesive on both surfaces with leggy strains.Usually caused by disturbing the Bond during the setting stage. | A) Check compression to assure that there is no shifting during adhesive set up.
B) Apply less adhesive. C) Lower adhesive Temperature. | |
| Poor penetration of substrate coating | A) Apply adhesive hotter.
B) Combine substrates quicker. C) Lower adhesive temperature. | |
| Glossy adhesive surface usually caused by poor contact with the secondary substrate. Temperature too low for proper wet out. | A) Adjust compression to assure intimate contact of substrates.
B) Increase adhesive temperature. | |
| Substrates Popping open | Hot melt is not cooling rapidly enough | A) Lower application temperature.
B) Decrease amount of adhesive applied. |
| Substrate is too hot to achieve proper cooling of adhesive | Cool substrates to room temperature if possible. |
For more detailed hot melt trouble shooting tips, or to speak with a technical representative about your application, and to request samples, please call us at 1-800-249-0337 or email us at [email protected]
Hot Melt Cost Calculator
Hot Melt Adhesive – Dot and Bead Cost
| Cost of Hot Melt Per lb. | Drop | Small Dot | Dime Dot | Quarter Dot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 / lb | $0.0004 | $0.00140 | $0.0028 | $0.007 |
| $3.00 / lb | $0.0006 | $0.00215 | $0.0042 | $0.0105 |
| $4.00 / lb | $0.0008 | $0.00290 | $0.0056 | $0.014 |
| $5.00 / lb | $0.0010 | $0.00360 | $0.0070 | $0.0175 |
| $6.00 / lb | $0.0012 | $0.00430 | $0.0084 | $0.021 |
 |  |  |  | |
| Drop 5,000 / lb | Small Dot 1,428 / lb | Dime Dot 714 / lb | Quarter Dot 285 / lb |
| Cost of Hot Melt Per lb | Bead 1/8" Wide 1 Foot Long | Bead 1/4" Wide 1 Foot Long | Bead 3/8" Wide 1 Foot Long | Bead 1/2" Wide 1 Foot Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 / lb | $.0071 | $.0149 | $.0227 | $.0307 |
| $3.00 / lb | $.0106 | $.0223 | $.0341 | $.0461 |
| $4.00 / lb | $.0141 | $.0297 | $.0455 | $.0614 |
| $5.00 / lb | $.0176 | $.0372 | $.0569 | $.0768 |
| $6.00 / lb | $.0212 | $.0446 | $.0682 | $.0921 |
 |  |  |  | |
| 1/8" Bead 281 feet Per Pound | 1/4" Bead 134 feet Per Pound | 3/8" Bead 88 feet Per Pound | 1/2" Bead 65 feet Per Pound | |
Our primary adhesive products and services include:
Custom Formulated Adhesives
Cattie Adhesives – Custom Formulated Adhesives
Do you need a Custom Formulated Adhesive ?
We Listen to Understand Your Specific Needs, and Design & Deliver Custom Formulated Adhesive Solutions that optimize both product cost and performance.
Container Labeling Adhesives
Cattie Adhesives manufactures a Full Line of Container Labeling Adhesives including Hot Melts, Water-Based Adhesives and Coatings for High Speed Container and Bottle Labeling applications.
Our hot melts and water based Adhesives are used for all types of Container and Bottle labeling requirements and can be custom formulated to meet specific application requirements for color, bond strength, heat resistance, or other performance standards.
All of our Labeling Adhesives for the food & beverage industry meet the requirements of the FDA Adhesives regulation: 21CFR175.105 Indirect Food Additives.
Our labeling adhesive products are used extensively across many industries and for many adhesive applications.
Our Hot Melts and Water based labeling adhesives can be made “Water-White” and are formulated to provide excellent adhesion to all types of substrates including difficult to bond Foils, Films, Metallized papers and UV coated papers.
Our adhesives are formulated for Pressure Sensitive Hot Melt labeling applications and water-based container labeling adhesive applications.
Our products offer excellent machining and superior bonding to all types of containers – including returnable bottles that need outstanding water, moisture/ice resistance to Low Energy Surfaces including PET, PP, or treated PE.
Labeling Adhesives
Glass Bottle Labeling Adhesives:
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- Water-based, Casein/Zinc Free.
- Excellent Clean-ability.
- Ice-Proof.
- Moisture and Water Resistant.
- Over 6 months of shelf life.
- Excellent Temperature & Viscosity Stability.
- Use About 20% Less Adhesive vs. other brands.
Metal Container Labeling Adhesives:
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- Water-based and Hot Melt adhesive.
- Lap Paste for Metal Cans.
- Used for Paper Labels on wrap around applications.
- Excellent Clean-ability.
- Hot Fill, Cold Fill Labeling.
Plastic Bottle and Container Labeling Adhesives:
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- Pressure Sensitive Hot Melts and Water-based adhesives.
- Clear, Excellent Run-ability, Clean Machining.
- Strong bonds to Metallized Paper, BOPP, PET, HDPE, LDPE.
- High Speed Labeling of Carbonated and Non-Carbonated Beverages.
- Automatic non-contact hot melt dots application system.
- Hot melts for Label “Pick Up” systems that use hot melt pick up wheel.
- Hot Fill, Cold Fill Paper/Plastic Labeling.
- Great for Wheel and Spray applications.
- Used on Roll Fed and Cut and Stack type equipment.
- Pressure Sensitive Hot Melts and Water-based adhesives.
