Hotmelt application with advantages

Tankless melters with adhesive flow rate control by Nordson adopted on the CM-OPM secondary packaging unit Smartcell increase flexibility and ergonomics of the plant.
Bernd Neumann

At Interpack 2017, from the left
Giovanni Pastori, General Sales Manager Packaging OEMs Nordson Italia, Filippo Ferrari, CEO CM-OPM SpA, Gregory P. Merk, Senior Vice President Adhesive Dispensing Systems of Nordson Corporation, Ulrich Bender, Director of Nordson Deutschland GmbH, David Titone, Senior Director Sales + Service Nordson Corp..

Like many OEMs, the Italian company Carle & Montanari-OPM (CM-OPM) belonging to the Sacmi Group also demonstrated modern end-of-line adhesive technology from the US Nordson Corporation at this year’s Interpack. So as an example, the new ProBlue Liberty ATS hotmelt application system on a secondary packaging machine was shown that together with all the advantages of tankless melters now also features a precise adhesive flow rate control function.

The innovative technology of the company, that is particularly active in the chocolate and confectionery industry and arose from the fusion of the process technology provider Carle & Montanari, Rozzano, with the end-of-line packaging machine builder OPM, Monticello d’Alba in 2012 presented the innovative technology on a Smartcell type line at the trade fair. The modular system first shapes the secondary packaging of flat corrugated cardboard blanks or packaging, then forms product groups and loads them via two-axis robots before the cardboard boxes are closed with the aid of hotmelt. The infeed performance of the machines is 100 units per minute and the output 25 boxes/min.

The Smartcell secondary packaging line of CM-OPM.

Focus on ATS
Introduced on the market in autumn 2016, ATS (Adhesive Tracking System) significantly improves the efficiency and process reliability of cardboard packaging gluing and precisely determines the amount of hot melt actually applied per product. Here tolerance limits can be defined so that a warning signal is triggered if the quantity is too low or too high and the packaging machine can be stopped if necessary. In this way, the flow rate control system that incidentally has also been available since May of this year as an upgrade kit for the proven ProBlue series significantly improves adhesive consumption and reduces rejects. ATS also makes it possible to detect batch and age-related changes to the hotmelt viscosity and any defects in individual units of the application system. It also allows for extensive data analysis and documentation via a USB interface, web browser or a fieldbus connection.

The new ProBlue Liberty 7 ATS hotmelt application system with integrated adhesive flow rate control.

Energy-saving melting. With regard to the end-of-line adhesive technology, CM-OPM has a close cooperation with the Nordson company whose European headquarters is in Erkrath and Italian representation in Segrate. A ProBlue Liberty ATS application system of size 7 could be seen on the Smartcell demonstrated in Düsseldorf that realises a melting capacity of seven kilograms per hour according to its model designation.
Another significant feature of the melter - apart from the flow rate control function - is that it does away with the conventional tank system. Instead, the melting unit’s smaller reservoir essentially functions like an instantaneous water heater, keeping only the amount of glue actually required at the processing temperature.
Melting only what is actually required allows for significantly shorter heating up and flow-through times, thereby providing significant savings in energy costs. An integrated sensor monitors the fill level and reports when adhesive is required. The granules are fed automatically from a large storage container, which is available in a 120 and 240-litre version.

Clean and safe in operation. The enclosed nature of the system is another important advantage. Interference from dirt, dust and other deposits is eliminated. In conjunction with a high-quality glue, problems arising from cracking and clogged nozzles are largely eliminated. All standard commercial hotmelts in granulate form can be used.
Also worth noting is the increased workplace safety ensured by the innovative application system. Because hotmelt is no longer supplied manually, the risk of burn injuries is completely eliminated. Overfilling and spilling of the adhesive are also eliminated.         

Bernd Neumann
Journalist