| Seven Ways to Reduce Adhesive Costs As manufacturers, you understand the economics: The rising costs of raw materials continue to drive up the price to produce adhesives. Sooner or later, adhesives manufacturers have no choice but to pass on at least some of the increased costs to you.
Fortunately, you can take some relatively simple steps to reduce the amount of adhesive you use for proper bonding:
1) Don’t use more glue than you need. 2) Lower refill point on application equipment to minimize leftover glue. 3) Reseal packaging of unused adhesives to prevent product evaporation or clumping. 4) Adjust equipment pressure to your specific application to reduce adhesive waste. 5) Check and properly maintain your equipment to achieve top operation and minimize repair costs. 6) Where applicable, use water-based adhesives, which clean up with water and eliminate the need for harsh chemicals that can damage equipment over time. 7) Reuse rinse and clean-up water.
Of course, you don’t want to be “penny-wise and pound-foolish.” Focus on quality as well as price. You could end up spending more for a cheaper adhesive that doesn’t perform as well – and that costs you more down the road in damage control. Talk to knowledgeable adhesive representatives who understand which product characteristics best suit your needs. Their expertise can help you get the glue that works for you – without compromising quality or paying more for performance characteristics you don’t need. This article is based on Michelle Tobbe’s “Sticky Stuff” blog, which was written for the Door and Window Manufacturer Magazine (DWM) website. Read the full article here. |