Global demand for corrugated boxes is expected to rise 4% annually to 234 billion square meters by 2017, a considerable acceleration from the 2007-2012 period. Largely driven by economic resurgence and growth in manufacturing goods packaging, competition among corrugated box manufacturers has never been greater.
A Message for Corrugated Box Manufacturers: Deliver faster, cheaper and better boxes.
Packaging buyers are increasingly demanding more from corrugated box manufacturers. Not only are you now expected to deliver boxes in record time, but also at unbeatable prices. In conjunction with an increased selection of available adhesive dispensing systems offering the latest technology, the bar for corrugated box manufacturers to deliver 100% defect-free boxes has been raised.
Upgrading Your Flexo Folder Gluer For Maximum Performance
So, how do you ensure your flexo folder gluer is ready for the zero defect challenge? It all starts with selecting the right glue station for your specific application and making the necessary upgrades to ensure it’s equipped for maximum performance. 
Since the advent of faster, direct-electric valves, and advances in adhesive technology, jetting the glue from a distance away from the board has become a valid method for applying adhesives.
This non-contact gluing method has gained in popularity due to its ability to reduce the risk of board marking and skew, as well as the fact that it requires very little “housekeeping,” when compared to contact gluing. As an added bonus, the all-electric, non-contact system does not have the glue pattern applicator, or related wear items typically associated with an air-operated contact system.
Previously, non-contact glue stations could only be used for top-down gluing. In order to produce inside and outside glue lap, machines required glue stations, along with associated fluid handling system components, to be mounted on both the tab-side and 4th panel sides of the machine.
Further research and development efforts have since led to the creation of non-contact glue stations that offer increased configuration flexibility, as well as new glue valve technology, which is capable of operating at higher glue pressure.
By equipping your flexo folder gluer with a glue station that offers both top-down and bottom-up non-contact glue application capabilities, you can really maximize the utility of your machine. Installed on one side of the machine, the operator can quickly set it to run for either inside or outside glued boxes with only the pull of a ring.
Other benefits include:
- Eliminates the need to invest in gluing equipment for both sides of the machine
- Avoids potential risks of board marking, board skewing and applicator headwear associated with contact gluing technologies
- Ideal for machines that can only mount a glue station on one side
Quantity and Quality: The Importance of Quality Assurance Equipment
We can’t stress enough, how important it is for corrugated box manufacturers to select the right glue station in order to maximize flexo folder gluer performance and keep up with demand. Quantity however, is only half of the story.
As advances in adhesive dispensing technology have been made, expectations for supplying perfect boxes have increased. While efficiently delivering boxes in record time and at unbeatable prices is an advantage in and of itself, what if you could also guarantee that every box is 100% defect-free. Would you buy from a company that wasn’t supplying 100% defect-free boxes when they could? No. So why would your customers? This is where the other half comes in: Quality.
Delivering a quality product not only increases client retention, but also helps you stand out from the competition. By equipping your flexo folder gluer with state-of-the-art camera inspection systems and the latest developments in adhesive application technology, you can actually gain control of what you ship.
Don’t wait for an unhappy customer when you can ensure a perfect box before it even leaves your door.
Download Your Guide to the Perfect Box Today
Valco Melton offers a variety of solutions for upgrading your flexo folder gluers including the new 3NCR Non-Contact Glue Station for Top-Down and Bottom-Up Applications, and our ClearVision® Camera Inspection System, an all-in-one quality assurance program that features GlueChek™, FoldChek™ and BundleChek™ technology to ensure defect-free products from your flexo folder gluer.
To learn more about our entire line of solutions, download our Corrugated e-book today by clicking here.
