Hot-melts are a type of thermoplastic adhesive that are generally 100% solid and are brought to a liquid state by applying heat. Hot melt pillows are melted using a hot melt tank/hopper and are then applied to a substrate in its liquid state. As the hot melt cools to room temperature, it solidifies, and a strong bond is created.
Stuart Francis, managing director of Chemique Adhesives comments: “For over 30 years we have made progressive steps towards eliminating hazardous solvents from the workplace. Our hot-melts have been designed for both automatic and manual systems, so whether you are automatically applying the adhesive in a bead or a swirl pattern or indeed hand beading or spraying, then we have a grade to suit.”
The company says that hot-melt adhesives are a much more stable option than many solvented adhesives and are easy to store, as they do not require any special conditions other than the avoidance of extreme temperatures.
The Protak range of hot melts offer a variety of technically-advanced adhesives based on EVA, PUR and polyolefin resins. These products have been specially formulated to provide a high adhesive performance in a variety of applications including:
- Edgebanding
- Mattress manufacture
- Panel lamination
- Profile wrapping
- Foam bonding
- Packaging
- Product assembly
- Sofa and soft furnishings
Advantages of hot-melt adhesives include that they contain no solvent emissions, are high-strength, offer excellent heat resistance and are designed for a variety of substrates with open and set times available to suit the necessary application.