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.
Starting Back Up After a Pandemic
This is most definitely a new reality that we are all facing. Never before have so many companies had to shut down several, if not all, of their packaging lines because of a global pandemic. However, it was a scary and necessary measure taken to prevent further outbreaks of COVID-19. Now, as we slowly start to reopen as a nation, so does our packaging facilities. State by state, Governors are rolling out the reopening phases that each company, both essential and non-essential must follow.
With the reopening happening, that may mean you are going to run into a few speed bumps. As we all know, machines that typically run seven days a week, don’t like being shut down for three months. Especially if they are not shut down and cleaned out properly before they sat around idle. So, when you switch the power button back to “ON”, everything might not turn green.
In an effort to help with troubleshooting, we have put together a quick list of potential fixes.
1. CLEAN YOUR TANK. We cannot stress this enough. Even if your team drained the glue in the tank reservoir before shut down, there will still be old residue that will impact your restart. Cleaning your tank is fairly simple. First, make sure to detach all guns from the hoses before running the cleaner through. Utilizing our Purge Plus cleaner, fill the tank reservoir and heat. Place the end of the hose inside a bucket and flush the cleaner through the tank and out through the hose.
2. CHANGE ALL FILTERS. This includes both the tank filter and in-line gun filter. Starting with new fresh filters is the smart way to go.
3. NOZZLES MIGHT GET CLOGGED UPON INITIAL RESTART. Nozzles have small orifices that dispense the glue onto packages. If there is any left-over char in the tank from restart, the nozzles could get clogged up first. Try switching the nozzle to see if that fixes the issue.
4. REBUILD KITS. There are a few items that can be rebuilt on your adhesive melter system. For example, your pump. If you think that your seals have dried up from sitting idle through the down time, and you have a skilled mechanic trained to work on the equipment, try ordering a rebuild kit. This will save you money on purchasing a new pump.
If you experience any other issues during your restart, please call us directly at (561) 272-5442 and a technician will walk you through troubleshooting any issue. Stay Safe!
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.
Not All Glue Melts Well Together
One of the most common customer service calls we receive has to do with adhesives that get mixed together and then create a mess inside the melter tank. It is important for any packaging line operator to understand that not all glue is made equal, which means they might not mix well together. Especially when operating at high heat with high demand.
Know Your Adhesive
There are two main types of adhesives that you could be using in your tank: ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyolefin. EVA is a copolymer adhesive, most commonly used in the paper, packaging, and assembly industries, as they bond to a variety of cellulosic materials and have a wide range of formulation. Polyolefin is used mostly at low application temperatures and works best in spray or film form. The best thing to do is keep the adhesive information so that you do not accidentally order the wrong type of adhesive and mix them together. When EVA and PVA are mixed together and heated, they create a thick gelatin formulation that will destroy your melter pot. This is not something that can be cleaned out, even with the strongest of cleaners.
Clean & Purge Your Tank
It is imperative, whenever starting a new batch of adhesive to thoroughly purge and clean your tank, hoses and guns. Removing all remanence of previous adhesive build up. This will prevent any clogs or char from filtering through your adhesive system and causing any unnecessary adhesive mixing. Universal Systems offers a cleaner called Purge Plus™ that, when heated to the correct temperature within your tank, will remove all of the old adhesive and char.
For more information on Universal Systems SE or our Purge Plus™ cleaner, please contact us at (800) 848-5018 or email us at sales@ussefl.com.