Best Practices to Ease Supply Chain Burdens
It is no secret that everyone is experience supply chain issues this year. While there may be no end in sight, Universal Systems can only try and help ease the burdens on our end users. Below are a few of the best practices that we have implemented that we can recommend for our customers.
Keep an Open Line of Communication
With several of our competitors experiencing supply chain issues due to their overseas manufacturing and shipping issues in the current cultural climate, Universal Systems, being a USA manufacturer has received a lot of new business from large end users of hot melt equipment who would normally be buying from the big-name brand manufacturers. With the new influx of business, we have been open and honest with customers as to what we stock and what we make custom. If a new customer who is used to buying from Nordson calls and asks us lead time on standard stock items, we are happy to communicate that we can ship same day. However, if they have a custom gun or hose, we are honest regarding lead time and ship dates, normally 3-5 business days.
Plan Ahead
It is so important for companies to try and plan ahead with their inventory. While we realize this may be hard for many buyers due to lack of budget or their inability to get “out of the weeds” from being so far behind during Covid lockdowns, it is the only way to ensure there is no downtime on your packaging lines. Universal Systems offers all of our customers a preventative maintenance schedule and inventory recommendation list, so that you know what to keep on the shelf based on the equipment you are running.
Try New Products
Many of us get stuck in our ways and don’t realize there are other options out there that might improve our operations or way of doing business. Now that some large brand name companies, who have spent years manufacturing overseas, are feeling the crunch of no inventory due to low supply chain, many packagers should see this as an opportunity to work with Universal Systems. We have been manufacturing hot melt equipment in the USA for over 40 years and are well versed in packaging line needs and set ups. We manufacture most of the same products as our largest competitors and stock over 10,000 items at all times.
Think Outside the Box
With over 40 years of experience in packaging equipment, Universal Systems’ technicians are most skilled in thinking outside of the box. Whether it is troubleshooting an issue with an old machine that has been around since the dawn of day, or setting up a new line configuration, sometimes the most common answers don’t always work. We urge our customers to keep an open mind and work with us to figure out the best solutions to your packaging needs.
For more information about Universal Systems’ ProBilt line or products please reach out to sales@ussefl.com or call (561) 272-5442.
Spring Cleaning for Your Hot Melt Systems
It’s that time of year again, when the days are longer and everyone is motivated to do some Spring Cleaning. That should also apply to your hot melt equipment. Like most machinery, your hot melt tanks, hoses, guns, filters and nozzles need regular preventative maintenance and cleaning. Below is the maintenance recommendation schedule that Universal Systems SE provides to all of its customers regarding our ProBilt line of products.
ProBilt Melters
- Replace tank filter every 500 hours or 3 months, whichever comes first
- Clean tank with Purge Plus every 1,000 hours or 3 months, whichever comes first
*stock 2 – 3 tank filters per tank and 1 Purge Plus cleaner
ProBilt Pumps
- Clean and Flush Pump every 2,500 hours utilizing Pump Service Kit B100-900
- Replace Pump every 5,000 hours or until Pump stops pumping
*stock at least 1 pump to reduce any potential down time
ProBilt Hose
- Flush out hoses when cleaning tank with Purge Plus every 1,000 hours
*make sure to disconnect hoses from guns when flushing with Purge Plus
*stock at least 1 hose per length needed to reduce any potential down time
In-Line Filters
- Replace every 150 hours
*stock 5 spare filters for each filter body
Gun Applicator
- Only replace when it stops functioning –either the heater or RTD
*stock 1 spare gun applicator per line
Module
- Replace module every 1,000 hours or every 6 months, whichever comes first
*stock 2 – 6 modules depending on how many modules are on each gun being used
Nozzles
- Replace nozzles every 120 hours or when they clog
*stock a minimum of 6 nozzles per line
*If you clean nozzles, we recommend cleaning them with kit # 1658 every 100 hours or when they clog
To keep your stock up to date please give us a call at (561) 272-5442. A USSE sales rep will quote you pricing and lead time on anything you need.
Cold Weather Impacts to Your Hot Glue Melter
As we move into the holiday season, we also experience a change in the weather. In most places in the US, the winter months mean that the climate inside most packaging plants change. With that, line operators need to take that temperature change into consideration when working with hot glue machines on their packaging lines.
Hot melt consistency, heated hose and gun temperature consistency and glue stringing are all potential problems that maintenance managers can deal with during the winter months. One of the most important things to look at is where your packaging line is located within your facility. Most melters are located at the end of the line, which leaves them close to an exterior wall, door or window. The cold temperature outside could be impacting, not only the viscosity of your glue, but the heating time of your glue and its adhesion ability. Every time your line operator opens the fill door on the hot melt tank, the external air hits the existing glue and cools it off. Even if the lid on your tank is only open for a few minutes, that could impact not only the current glue in the tank reservoir, but the glue you are adding to the tank. If your glue pellets are colder than normal, it will take a longer amount of time to heat them.
Another important task would be to inspect your system setup for any cold joints. A cold joint would be any unnecessary extensions that you have added throughout the adhesive application process. Most cold joints are found on older machines that use larger sized extensions and filter housings. The more cold joints on the system, the more inconsistent the glue will heat and stay heated throughout the entire application process.
If your main problem is glue stringing in the colder months, an easy solution would be to shorten the distance from the nozzle tip to the top of the box. Limiting the amount of time the glue has to travel in the air will help to lessen the problem of stringing, which can cause a weakened seal on the box.
If you have any questions about how to reduce the impact of winter weather on your hot melt system, please reach out to a technical rep at sales@ussefl.com.
The Right Melter for Your Packaging Line
Finding the right melter for your packaging line can impact not only your productivity, but also your bottom line. Most commonly, maintenance managers and buyers simply replace the current OEM melter with the latest model. That is not always necessary. Universal Systems SE ProBilt™ melters have the same footprint as most all Nordson® systems and can easily fit into where the original tank is positioned. Just because your current packaging line has a Nordson® melter does not mean you have to replace it with another expensive Nordson®. Plus, all of our ProBilt™ melters are in stock and can ship same day!
There are several key points to take into consideration when choosing a hot melt system for your packaging line. The most important are: Melt Rate, Durability, & Cost-Effectiveness.
Melt Rate
The melt rate is the rate at which the tank melts the adhesive pellets as they are filled into the reservoir. This is where the tank capacity comes into play. Before moving forward with any hot melt adhesive system, first you need to understand how many pounds you need to melt per hour. The melt rate is dependent on how many hoses and gun applicators you are running and how many boxes are being sealed per minute on your packaging line. The most common tank capacity is the 20 lb. (10 Liter) ProBilt™ 20, with a melt rate of 23 lbs. per hour. If you are only running one line with one hose and gun applicator, then you may only need the 15 lb. (7 Liter) ProBilt™ 15 which melts 18 lbs. per hour or the 12 lb. (6 Liter) unit which melts 15 lbs. per hour.
Durability
Depending on how many shifts you are running, you need a melter that will work consistently and effectively. All ProBilt™ melters come with a 10-year heater warranty, which is the highest in the industry. In addition, all melters come standard with 4 hose / 4 gun capability and a set-back functionality that allows for easy start up and shut down. ProBilt™ melters are constructed out of 316 stainless steel, not only for its sleek look that will seamlessly blend with your packaging line, but also for its durability and sustainability on your production line floor.
Cost-Effectiveness
The economy is a huge question mark lately, being impacted by the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With that, large CPGs are cutting back not only in personnel but in spending budgets for packaging. These tighter budgets won’t always allow for a buyer to simply purchase the latest Nordson® melter. Here at Universal Systems SE, we have seen more and more companies trying to repair older melters and plug any current issues with band-aids to stretch their fixed budgets as far as they can. Since we manufacture parts that are compatible with old Nordson® tanks, we have been able to help a lot of companies cost effectively navigate the times. In addition to our parts business, all of our ProBilt™ series melters are cost effective replacements for any Nordson®. We are currently running a 15% off and free shipping in the USA promotion to help out CPGs and support US based companies.
To learn more about Universal Systems SE’s ProBilt™ series of melters and components, please reach out to a customer service representative at sales@ussefl.com or call (561) 272-5442.
How to Effectively Clean Your Melter
Keeping your hot melt adhesive system clean may not be on the top of your priority list. However, take a look at your melter now, it is probably bronzed and blackened with old melted glue and char in the glue reservoir. That is what travels through your application system and onto your boxes. That is also what is potentially causing clogging issues and why you are replacing so many nozzles. Even though your melter looks like this now, it is possible to clean it and positively impact the longevity of your system. We recommend that you clean your system at least once every quarter. If you are running 24-hour shifts, 7 days a week, then you might want to schedule cleaning once a month.
Universal Systems SE sells a product called Purge Plus™ that, when used properly, will clean almost any melter. The directions for use are simple:
- Drain all hot melt from tank reservoir
- Fill reservoir with Purge Plus™
- Heat Purge Plus to 350°F – 375°F for approximately 45 minutes
- Open tank drain valve and remove tank filter assembly
- Slowly start pump and run Purge Plus™ through the tank manifold and into a meal container until reservoir is empty
- Stop pump, replace filter assembly and close drain valve
- Carefully wipe any remaining contaminants from tank reservoir
- Add new hot melt and recirculate through system
- Drain one cup from each hose
In addition to cleaning the tank reservoir and heated hot melt hoses, if you are running a ProBilt™ series melter, the exterior is manufactured out of 316 grade stainless steel. So, any stainless steel cleaner will shine the exterior of the tank.
For any additional questions about Purge Plus or how to properly clean your tank and hoses, please call a Universal Systems service technician at (561) 272-5442 or email tech@ussefl.com.
Know Your Strengths
Knowing your strengths and the value add that you provide are important keys to success for any business. Universal Systems SE’s strength is the in-house manufacturing, QA process and customer service that we provide to our customers all year. The value add is the high-quality material and product that we put to market at a more affordable rate than most of our competitors.
Every day we have maintenance managers or co-packers calling in to find out if we can support their old Nordson® tank. The simple answer is yes. We can support old melters and usually fix any issues that your hot melt applicator may be having. On our website, we offer a search functionality that cross references thousands of product IDs from other manufacturers to make it easy to see which USSE parts are a perfect fit for your old system. However, not only do we support the old, but we manufacture new equipment that will function the same as your old and hopefully last longer. In order to help increase the life expectancy of your hot melt equipment, we offer a recommended maintenance schedule for any maintenance manager so that they can keep up with the life of their products and know when to replace important parts.
Another value add is the fact that we stock over 10,000 items at all times. Not only do we have hundreds of different styles and diameter nozzles in stock, we also stock pumps, control boards, filters, hoses, applicator guns, modules and we always stock tanks. Unlike most manufacturers, that make to order tanks, hoses and guns, we have one of the largest in stock inventory of any other hot melt manufacturer. And everything ships from the US, which means that you can typically get it within the week or overnight service if needed.
If you are ever in need of technical support for your old melter or hot melt equipment, do not hesitate to call us at (561) 272-5442. We are here to use our strengths, to help you add value.
The Importance of Product Support
Universal Systems SE has been manufacturing hot melt equipment since 1981. Starting with hoses and nozzles, then moving into applicators, pumps and tanks. Our first ProBilt tank was launched in 1990. Since then, our melter has only had a couple of generational upgrades. We believe that this is what sets us apart from other hot melt equipment manufacturers in the industry today. We have never believed upgrading our equipment or technology so much that it makes our old tanks in operation obsolete. We have added features and improved upon what we initially launched in 1990, but we have not let technology negatively impact the operational ease of our machines.
USSE believes in the importance of long-term product support and cross compatibility. There are hot melt system manufacturer’s in the industry, like Nordson®, who have discontinued not only production but also product support of their old melters. Both the 2300 series and 3000 series melters, while discontinued by Nordson®, are still in operation in hundreds of packaging facilities across America. Unlike Nordson®, Universal Systems still supports those old melters because we appreciate the fact that many of these melters, similar to the ProBilt melters, continue to run even 20+ years after initial operation. We are one of the only manufacturers in existence to still make and service 2300 & 3000 series pumps.
We also believe in product uniformity across all of our melters. That is why when we designed our melters, we made sure that all of Universal Systems’ ProBilt machines run the same control boards, pumps and tank filters. In most cases, facilities run several ProBilt melters, but only need to stock 1 or 2 of each spare part. That uniformity creates a streamlined and more simplistic inventory process.
As we move deeper into 2021 and our new normal continues to change, think about how the importance of long-term product support and a streamlined inventory process can help keep your packaging lines up and running. For more information about Universal Systems and our ProBilt line of melters please email sales@ussefl.com.
The Importance of Air Quality in Packaging
Air quality is important in all aspects of life, but for some reason usually overlooked in packaging lines. Almost all hot melt application equipment will require air to operate, especially if they are pneumatic. Universal Systems’ line of ProBilt™ hot melt equipment utilizes air in several different points of operation. The pneumatic pumps require air in order to shift the actuator and pump the glue through the system. Also, modules require air to open the piston and, in some cases, even to close the piston. Of the two operations in your hot melt application process that require air, it is most important for the pump to receive clean air.
Universal Systems pneumatic pumps are manufactured with extreme precision and delicacy. The most important part of the pump is the actuator, otherwise known as the shifter. The shifter’s main components are the spool and sleeve, which is how the shifter “shifts”. The spool and sleeve are machined in pairs, hand measured, calibrated, cleaned and assembled. The shifter is attached to the side of the pump. If you have a ProBilt™ tank and pump, take a look at the label on the side of the shifter. It reads: “The air supplied to the pump should be dry, filtered and non-lubricated.” If the air supplied to the pump, that goes through the shifter, is lubricated, your shifter will seize over time. The reason is that the oil in the air will build up in the millimeters of space between the shifter spool and sleeve, not allowing it to smoothly shift. If you do have unfiltered air running to your hot melt pump, we sell a ¼ NPT filter regulator that you can attached to the air lines and filter the air before it goes into the pump. Check it out on our website here.
If you have any questions regarding your pneumatic pump or modules, please call us at (561) 272-5442 and one of Universal Systems’ technicians will be happy to help. You can also email sales@ussefl.com.
Keep Your Melter Clean
Keeping your hot melt adhesive system clean may seem like an impossible task. Take a look at your melter now, it is probably bronzed and blackened with old melted glue. Well guess what…that is what travels through your application system and onto your boxes. Also, do you see all of the little bits of blackened glue? That is called char, and it is a big problem for your equipment. Even though your melter looks like this now, it is possible to keep it clean “ish”. Now, this melter runs in a packaging line, most likely 8 – 12 hours per day, every day, so there is no way that tit is going to stay pristine or even look clean after its first use. However, there are a few tricks of the trade to keep your melter looking good and running even better for decades to come.
Universal Systems SE sells a product called Purge Plus™ that, when used properly, will clean almost any melter. The directions for use are simple:
- Drain all hot melt from tank reservoir
- Fill reservoir with Purge Plus™
- Heat Purge Plus to 350°F – 375°F for approximately 45 minutes
- Open tank drain valve and remove tank filter assembly
- Slowly start pump and run Purge Plus™ through the tank manifold and into a meal container until reservoir is empty
- Stop pump, replace filter assembly and close drain valve
- Carefully wipe any remaining contaminants from tank reservoir
- Add new hot melt and recirculate through system
- Drain one cup from each hose
In addition to cleaning the tank reservoir and heated hot melt hoses, if you are running a ProBilt™ series melter, the exterior is manufactured out of 316 grade stainless steel. So, any stainless steel cleaner will shine the exterior of the tank.
For any additional questions about Purge Plus or how to properly clean your tank and hoses, please call a Universal Systems service technician at (561) 272-5442 or email tech@ussefl.com.
When Consumers Can’t Open their Boxes
Have you ever purchased a case of soda or carton of coffee cups and can’t get the box open? Of course, we all have. In the packaging industry, especially for hot melt machine manufacturers, that is a red flag. Whenever we get a box that has too much hot glue on it means that the packaging line is not set up properly or not being cleaned regularly.
If you are wondering why too much glue means that the line is not set up properly or not being cleaned regularly it is because one of two issues is occurring (or sometimes even both). The first issue is most likely that the line operators and/or maintenance managers are not cleaning the tank regularly and the lines are clogging up with char, which will subsequently clog nozzles. Instead of cleaning the tanks and hoses, and replacing the tank filter and in-line gun filters, most operations just buy bigger nozzles. If the diameter of the nozzle orifice is larger, then it will allow through more bits of char and not clog up as easily. Unfortunately, this is not a long-term solution. Putting down more hot glue will drive up the amount that facilities spend on adhesive pellets, and ultimately the annoyance will trickle down to the consumer when they can’t get their box open. The solution is simple…utilize Purge Plus to clean your tank every 1,000 hours. For some facilities that could mean cleaning every quarter and for others that could be twice a year, it all depends on the facility. In addition to cleaning the tank and hoses with Purge Plus, make sure that the tank filters are changed every 500 hours. The in-line gun filters should be changed every 150 hours to ensure that no char travels into the gun applicator, through the module and nozzle and onto the box.
The second issue that could cause too much glue on boxes, is that the line was not set up correctly from initial purchase. A lot of cartoners have standard hoses, guns, modules and nozzles that will work for most case packers, but not for all. Make sure to take into consideration the temperature of your packaging facility (which can impact the adhesion and viscosity of the glue as it travels through the application process), the distance that the guns are to the box upon application, and the surface area of the box you are covering. The longer the bead of glue you place, the less likely you are to need a larger diameter nozzle. The shorter the range you are covering, you might need more glue to make sure that maximum adhesion occurs, which means you need a larger diameter nozzle.
If you think you are putting down too much glue on your packaging line and need help, call one of Universal Systems’ technicians at (561) 272-5442. We have the most knowledgeable technicians in the business that can help you with almost any question.