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

3.  “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.  “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.  Proper use of the Adhesive by Technology  Warping  Coated Stock Adhesion  Case Making  Adhesion in General  Set Time

6.  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.  Main Attributes ◦ Selection ◦ Runnability ◦ Adhesion  Main Properties ◦ Handling of the Adhesive ◦ Determining Success of the Adhesive  Main Goal ◦ Zero Defects

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

9.  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.  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.  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.  Many factors to consider including: ◦ type of coating ◦ surface tension of coating ◦ application equipment

13.  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.  Protein Adhesives predominately used on case making.  Viscosity and adhesion are keys to success.

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

16.  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.  Difficult to adhere to surfaces.

18.  Waterbased adhesive not adhering to new coated stock.

19.  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.

21.  Binder having difficulty with line speeds on casing-in line during summer months. The adhesive appears to be setting slow.

22.  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.  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.  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.

27.  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.