Perfect bonding

Intercol and DS Smith approaching “zero defects” on inline folder gluers

The new adhesive ensures perfectly glued boxes

Reading time
3 minutes


Who will speak:

  • Intercol
    • Henry People
  • DS Smith
    • Robert Smith
    • Bjorn Reudink

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Why should you read this?
The expertise of an adhesive manufacturer results in perfectly glued boxes.

By means of new glue and an improved glue process, corrugated board producer DS Smith in Eerbeek and glue supplier Intercol approach 'zero defects' on the production line for corrugated packaging. The results were achieved after six months of research. The new approach should ultimately lead to higher efficiency for DS Smith's end customers, mainly in the food processing industry.

'ZERO DEFECTS' REQUIRED

'The advanced automation at customers requires good quality boxes',

says Robert Smith of the DS Smith Business Support department in Eerbeek. 'The carton erectors are listening more and more closely. For some customers we deliver millions of boxes per quarter and for some, one incorrectly glued box can paralyze a production line. That is why it is of great importance that every box is perfectly produced and has an optimal bonding. An integral quality approach is indispensable in our industry and bonding is an important part of this process.'

IMPROVED OPTICAL GLUE CONTROL

In the packaging industry, glue on the inside or outside of the box causes the so-called inside and outside stickers; boxes that do not open or stick together. As a result, case erectors run less well or can even stop. This leads to a standstill in production, which means that the goods cannot be delivered to the end user on time, resulting in empty supermarket shelves.
'This project is an important step in our 'zero defects' approach and a good addition to our already invested in-process control resources.' says Bjorn Reudink, production manager at DS Smith Eerbeek.

HUGE REDUCTION IN MICROSTOPS

In a pilot on one of the inliners, DS Smith compared the standard adhesive with Intercol's Superjet 900 adhesive. The advantages on the adhesive behavior and the smaller number of micro stops were the deciding factor, as every machine stop is a potential complaint.

The doubts among the staff about the new glue were quickly dispelled

Doubts among staff about the new adhesive were quickly dispelled. Subsequently, several machine adjustments were made to further increase reliability and work was done on a glue curve that adapts to the machine speed.

PROVEN LINEARE GLUE CURVE

'We have introduced a glue that is just right with its viscosity and introduced a linear glue curve, which is linked to the machine speed,' says Henry Mensen, Technical Sales Manager at Intercol. 'This ensures that the glue pressure always matches the speed of the processing machine, regardless of whether it is running slowly or at full speed. Such a glue curve creates peace of mind for the operator and reduces the chance of errors. An additional advantage is that the Superjet 900 glue contains a food-safe detection dye, which can be used on both white and brown cardboard.'

Team DS Smith and Team Intercol in front of an inliner folder gluer

HIGHER STANDARDS

The collaboration is part of DS Smith's process of raising production standards worldwide, both in its own production and at its customers. The PackRight Centers work together with customers on designs and perfect packaging solutions that not only ensure an efficient packaging process, but are also effective in the other links of the supply chain.

An integral quality approach is indispensable in our industry and bonding is an important part of this process.'

Superjet 900 adhesive contains a food-safe detection pigment that is detectable on both white and brown cardboard.

Extensively tested in Intercol's laboratory

The packaging industry is continuously confronted with necessary improvements in the field of effectiveness, food safety and the environment. Adhesives such as the Superjet 900 play a major role in this. This series of adhesives is extensively tested in the Intercol laboratory on identical adhesive equipment such as those on folding adhesive machines. Through laboratory testing and field results, one optimum result is achieved in terms of adhesive spatter, machine starts and stops, consistent adhesive application and high wet tack.

Food safe with detection agent

Superjet 900 also complies with EC / 1935/2004, GMP, REACH and PIM regulations. An additional advantage of the new Superjet 900 series adhesive is that it is detectable on white, brown and recycled cardboard, allowing detection systems to detect the application of adhesive.

Optical brighteners in cardboard can cause problems with standard detection dyes.

explains People. Our adhesive contains a food-safe detection pigment. This is unique, as many glue manufacturers usually exclude the UV pigment from the food safety declaration'. Intercol provides local support for the implementation of adhesives in Europe. From Hungary, Italy, Spain to England and Norway, there are already customers whose efficiency has increased through the use of the perfect glue in combination with the right settings.

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