Inks and adhesives news

High temperature performance with low cure temperature

A silicone pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), Dow Corning 7659, has been introduced for use in the manufacture of adhesive tapes and labels. The adhesive combines the advantages of ultra high temperature performance with the benefits of platinum catalyzed cure, states the company. It can also be used with fluorosilicone coated release liner to manufacture transfer tapes and films.

A platinum catalyzed solvent based silicone PSA the adhesive is said to have better high temperature performance capability than other platinum cured silicone PSAs. According to Norman Kanar, pressure sensitive market manager for the Americas, 7659 Adhesive has an operating temperature range comparable to peroxide cured silicone PSAs, but without the drawbacks inherent to peroxide cure systems.

"Platinum PSAs can be cured at lower oven temperatures and their cure is less sensitive to changes in the coating environment, such as humidity. Platinum cured PSAs also offer improved tack and adhesion." Features that set this adhesive apart, says Kanar, are its ultra high temperature performance, ability to pull away cleanly with very little adhesive residue, low temperature cure capability, and suitability for transfer tape applications

Silicone PSAs are known for their ability to maintain adhesion at extreme temperatures: from -100 to >315degC (-150 to >600degF). But they have many other valuable attributes as well, such as their ability to adhere to low energy surfaces and their resistance to chemicals, moisture and ultra violet rays, adds Dow Corning, who introduced 7659 Adhesive at the PSTC Tech Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. last month.

New name in print

XSYS Print Solutions is the new name for the merged ANI Printing Inks and BASF Printing Systems. Pronounced Ex-syss it was selected to be "memorable and individual, able to express our numerous possibilities and specialist knowledge as well as being internationally understandable," says the company. "X stands for our extensive product range, X new developments, X possibilities for our customers and X chances for our employees. SYS means systems."

"I am convinced that XSYS Print Solutions will establish itself as a new dimension of the printing and packaging industry, a name recognized by everyone," says ceo Peter Koivula.

"There are great challenges ahead, with the market becoming more difficult, the worldwide cost pressure is increasing and technology is rapidly advancing. This was why the decision to merge ANI printing Inks and BASF Printing Systems was taken; to combine the strengths," explains XSYS.

The company claims to be the largest European supplier of system solutions for the printing and packaging industry. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, it has 65 fully owned subsidiaries in 30 countries and a wide network of distributors covering another 50 countries. The group employs 3,600 people and had sales of €880M last year.

Adhesive pattern control expands flexibility

LogiComm, Nordson's new integrated pattern control and verification system, is designed to provide expandability and maximize flexibility for folding carton manufacturers. The system is claimed to deliver quick pattern development and change-overs as well as on-line adhesive detection, product inspection and production reporting for line speeds up to 1,200m/min.

A building block approach allows installation of either pattern control or verification with the capability to integrate the other function easily as needed, says the company. Systems consist of up to three remote touchscreens and up to eight control modules, each of which supports expansion of the number of pattern control or verification channels.

Pattern control provides a selection of bead choices and up to eight independent triggers per control module. Programming and operation are simplified with easy-to-program touchscreens, multi language displays and virtually unlimited memory, adds Nordson.

Verification sensors detect presence and placement of adhesive without additives or tracers that can have a negative impact on adhesive properties and machineability, reports the company. In addition to adhesive, sensors can detect and verify a broad range of characteristics, including bar codes, security tags, misfeeds, skews, flap faults and windows.

LogiComm systems also include production reporting and closed loop compensation capabilities.

Low surface tension dispersions reduce costs

A low surface tension (LST) resin dispersion for use in waterborne adhesives for tapes and labels has been introduced by Eastman Chemical. Tacolyn 3509 is said to eliminate the need for surfactants or other wetting agents in waterborne adhesives, reducing formulating costs and improving product adhesion to an array of materials, including polyethylene and polypropylene.

Solvent-free, the resin dispersion improves the tack and peel properties of waterborne pressure sensitive adhesives based on acrylic or SBR latexes, claims Eastman.

"Tacolyn 3509 is easy to use, and requires no modification prior to formulation, creating significant production efficiencies and additional cost savings," says Laura Martin, principal application chemist at Eastman Chemical. "Eastman is committed to partnering with key customers to be the adhesive industry's best value solution provider."

The low surface tension allows formulators to achieve good wet-out properties without post-addition of foamy surfactants or other wetting agents, adds the company. Reduced surfactant levels in pressure sensitive labels also improves water resistance, enabling better adhesion under humid conditions such as long term storage and shipping.

And low surface tension technology results in dispersions with higher solids at the same viscosity, allowing for faster drying of adhesive films.

"Tacolyn 3509 is an effective resin dispersion for adhesives for paper and printer labels, peel-off postage stamps, labels for glass and plastics bottles, and even recycled paper products, which have been historically less responsive to certain adhesives," says Laura Martin.

The dispersion is currently produced in North America and Europe, and is available to manufacturers worldwide.

Sliding solution

Automatic industrial dispensing system specialist Inkmaker has introduced two dosing systems for high viscosity offset, screen and uv inks this month. The Ring system has up to 21 fixed valves with three on /off valves used for liquid products. This machine is said to be particularly suitable for dispensing into 10 and 20kg buckets.

The second system, the Slider, moves the valves towards the dosing point by means of a sliding carriage. This technology allows the user to use 1kg up to 20kg containers. Both machines are geared to 0.1g accuracy, claims Inkmaker.

Simple mechanics and the automatic washing run at the end of every dosing ensure easy maintenance, it adds.

The set-up of an automatic linear unit to the dosing machine comprises a Cartesian system used to move the buckets. This allows the running of complete dosing cycles and complementary operations into different sized buckets, for example 1kg up to 50kg buckets with squared or rounded section. It is also possible to dose into reduced diameters such as 60mm. claims the company.

Inkmaker has over 1,000 installations worldwide.

Low cost tapes

Tyco Plastics & Adhesives has added a new line of hotmelt pressure sensitive tapes to its range. The hotmelt products are designed for bonding to a wide variety of foams, films and other materials for lamination and converting applications, with the new 9000 Series providing good performance at a value price, says the company.

It comprises double coated or transfer tapes said to be excellent for bonding similar or dissimilar materials. The solventless tapes bond "superbly" to metals, most films and plastics, and a wide range of rubber, sponge and foam, making them a versatile product. The 9000 Series is also said to provide excellent die cutting and conversion characteristics.

"The 9000 Series offers diverse bonding performance to support a broad range of applications," says Elizabeth Curran, marketing manager for the specialty tape group. "It's so versatile that our customers can stock fewer general bonding performance tapes and still cover the range of bonding expectations they have by using our line."

Briefly...

UK adhesive company Apollo has scooped the Queen's Award for Innovation for its Fastack adhesive. Fastack is a two-part polyurethane adhesive that has a quick tack - fast cure quality enabling customers to accelerate production time and reduce costs.

Sun Chemical is now an official MetalFX ink maker. John Adkin, European product director for sheet-fed and UV inks, says: "It will open up more market opportunities and lead to some great printing!"