Common Mistakes People Make When Using Adhesives
Whether its envelope gum for corporate correspondence or glue guns to assist the product packaging process, businesses heavily rely on adhesives. However, formulating a binding agent that is non-toxic and has a suitable strength can be a challenge.
An adhesive professional can help, by determining your requirements and custom design an application that’s just right. Unfortunately, despite adhesive professionals being able to create a proper bond, there are common errors that occur when using glue.
To achieve optimum stickiness and help you avoid some basic errors that could prove to be costly, Adhesive Products Inc. has put together a list of the most common mistakes people make when using adhesives.
1. Buying the lowest-priced glue.
Nothing is more expensive than buying cheap glue, as it may not have the quality required for the intended job. There are lots of variables to think about when choosing the right application. While saving money is always a good thing, if it doesn’t work, it defeats the purpose.
You should get an evaluation from your sales representative, who can have a lab analyze different glues and provide a recommendation based on your needs. Also, make sure that products get tested and the added costs get considered before making a purchasing decision.
2. Not keeping an eye on inventory.
Running out of glue is never a good option, especially if you rely on glue in your operations management. Remember, when sales rep’s ask how you’re doing for inventory, they are expecting orders and are concerned about you running too low on a specific product.
At one time or another, all of our customers have found themselves in this situation. We are fortunate to have a resourceful team to make sure people can get through these stressful moments. It’s also a helpful reminder that running out of glue is a crucial thing to avoid, as it slows down production.
3. Choosing glue that is not conducive for your environment.
Humidity dramatically affects water-based glues and should be considered when choosing the right product. What works in Seattle most likely won’t work in Phoenix, and the same goes for hot melt, as there are products for cold and warm environments.
Be sure to set up equipment away from large bay doors, and store your product in a cool area within your facility. Keeping a drum of liquid glue on a pallet will keep it from touching the cold concrete floor that could compromise the adhesive.
4. Not efficiently maintaining your equipment.
Just as a car needs to be serviced to run smoothly, so do your glue systems. Not keeping an excellent preventative maintenance schedule is a common mistake made by companies, which often leads to adhesives failing to flow through the system. It is vital to carry out cleaning according to the manufacturer’s specs to ensure zero shutdowns.
If your maintenance department hasn’t had training on using the equipment, call your machine manufacturer today. Many times, people stick a piece of metal up to the glue nozzle, which destroys the valve, and causes the glue to pour out and get wasted. Individuals also place torches towards the hot melt guns, which affects expensive machinery. So educating your staff on these systems will pay dividends.
To avoid these and other mistakes, reach out to the experts at Adhesive Products Inc. For over one hundred and thirty years, our company has taken pride in its commitment to quality and excellence in providing the glue that builds businesses.
We manufacture a full line of water-based, hot melt and protein-based adhesives across California, and the western United States. We also offer custom printed packaging tapes, adhesive coated labels, and glue sticks for a myriad of applications.
For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about adhesives, and glues, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.