“Bookbinding Adhesives Challenges”

1. “Bookbinding Adhesives Challenges”

2. Presented by Tom Rolando Wisdom Adhesives HBI/LBI 2010 Fall Conference – Springfield, IL October 23-26, 2010

3. Everybody Hates Their Glue “I don’t like my salesperson” “The adhesive smells” “The labels on the adhesive container aren’t displayed correctly” “Pricing is too high” “The product isn’t running like we are used to and nothing has changed!” “The truck-driver was rude” “We don’t like the payment terms”

4. Everybody Hates Their Glue “The adhesive isn’t melting fast enough” “The adhesive is drying too slow or the adhesive is drying too fast” “I’m not getting the proper adhesion” “The adhesives is too thin or the adhesive is too thick” “Can I get the adhesive in a different container” “I don’t like the color of the adhesive, can we get the adhesive made in a different color”

5. Most Common Adhesives Challenges • Proper use of the Adhesive by Technology • Warping • Coated Stock Adhesion • Case Making • Adhesion in General • Set Time

6. Use of the Adhesive (Simple as ) • Main Adhesive Technologies • Protein Adhesives • Finicky to run, susceptible to swings in the environment (summer/winter versions), moderate adhesion capabilities. • Waterborne PVAc Adhesives • Removal of water, set times. • Hot Melt Adhesives • Runnability (degradation, charring), adhesion to difficult surfaces, brittleness. • PUR Adhesives • Runnability, Reaction to moisture.

7. Use of the Adhesive (Simple as ) • Main Attributes • Selection • Runnability • Adhesion • Main Properties • Handling of the Adhesive • Determining Success of the Adhesive • Main Goal • Zero Defects

8. Warping • Likely the single biggest issue for binders involving the use of adhesives. • Many factors involved including: • board • process • adhesive • cover material

9. Warping • Knowledge is out there, but comparisons are general, specifics are limited. • Warping can be very costly involving re-working and/or re-binding of product.

10. Warping - real life example • Binder is having difficulty with warping in the late winter months. • Resolution:Summit meeting called with Binder, Board Supplier, Equipment Supplier Adhesive Supplier and Cover Material Supplier. • Specify the moisture content and density of board. Specify Cover Material. • Apply consistent and near minimum amount of adhesive for both case-making and casing-in. • Control entire process for repeatability – conditions, speeds, application weights

11. Binding to Coated Stock • Adhesion to coated stock can be difficult. • Gloss, matte and plastic films (mainly PP, Nylon, PET) is difficult with all types of adhesive technologies (protein adhesives, waterborne PVAc adhesives, hot melts and PURs).

12. Binding to Coated Stock • Many factors to consider including: • type of coating • surface tension of coating • application equipment

13. Binding to Coated Stock - Example • Binder having difficulty with coated stock adhesion with hot melt spine adhesive. • Same coated stock, same hot melt adhesive as always used. • Resolution: Lab testing demonstrated that the coated stock had varied from previously used stock. Alternate hot melt used in the interim until stock depleted. Pre-testing saved the day. • Long-Term Solution – Binder putting in waterbased priming station (or additional hot melt priming station) as well as “roughing” station.

14. Case Making • Protein Adhesives predominately used on case making. • Viscosity and adhesion are keys to success.

15. Case Making - Example • Binder ordered new casing making equipment. Case making adhesive was not performing (runnability and poor adhesion) on the new equipment.

16. Case Making - Example • Resolution: On-site meeting with OEM, Adhesive Manufacturer and Binder to map out plan. Adhesive change to faster set and lower viscosity resolved runnability and adhesion issues.

17. Adhesion Issues • Difficult to adhere to surfaces.

18. Adhesion Issues - example • Waterbased adhesive not adhering to new coated stock.

19. Adhesion Issues - example • Resolution: Know the surfaces you are bonding to. • Pre-testing the new surface for adhesion to ensure current adhesive will work (it didn’t). • Ask for help (supplier intervention). • New product suggestion made, pre-test successful, scale-up on product.

20. Set Time Issues

21. Set Time Issues - example • Binder having difficulty with line speeds on casing-in line during summer months. The adhesive appears to be setting slow.

22. Set Time Issues - example • Resolution: Conference call with the board and adhesive suppliers. • Higher humidity environment means a change in conditions. • Options are change environment, board moisture/density content or use summer & winter month adhesive. The later chosen.

23. Keys to Success • An ounce of prevention • Can’t be emphasized enough. Not much can be done once the book is made. • Advanced testing • A must for any new items or for troubleshooting existing ones. • Co-Supplier Meetings • Best approach to resolution of issues, prevention – making advanced testing a must.

24. Wrap Up • Consistency is the key, know what variables in the process and materials that can be controlled and those that will vary. • Selection of Adhesive Key to the Process. • Match Performance with Expectation Based on Ever-Changing Environments. • Change Mentality from Hating Adhesives to Loving Adhesives.

25. Looking for a Greener Adhesive?

26. Looking for a Greener Adhesive?

27. The Wisdom Way • Address each challenge from a new perspective. • Gather all applicable information: • Bonding what to what (determines adhesive technology) • Type of application equipment (determines physical property of adhesive) • Expectation (determines performance properties like rate of set, open time, application weight, etc.., economic impact) • Do it right the first time, however, be ready for ever-changing parameters.

28. Thank You