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We manufacture different formulations of our Ibeslab© sleeve adhesive for the formation of shrink sleeve depending on the type of film used such as PET, PVC, OPS, PP and PLA. We have references that are suitable for different types of material, being very convenient to unify in one or two types to reduce inventory and machine changeovers.
Our Sleeve Ibeslab adhesive incorporates a special additive to automatically inspect the correct application of the product.
This additive is invisible to the human eye and functions as an optical marker when exposed to a special ultraviolet light. Most of the sleeving machines on the market incorporate this system which allows the inspection of the film seam after processing.
Ibeslab has developed formulations of adhesive sleeve for the gluing of different types of film that work with the machines on the market.
The choice of the type of plastic to make the sleeve depends mainly on the type of plastic used to make the primary packaging, seeking compatibility so that they can be recycled together.
PETG is currently the most common film, which over the years has displaced PVC in most packaging. Its ease of recycling and good transparency and strength properties have helped its rapid growth in this variety of packaging.
In order to produce the shrink sleeve in the same type of plastic as the packaging, it is common to find other types of film on the market:
The choice of printing system depends on the print run and productivity: Rotogravure, Flexography, Offset and Digital Printing are the most appropriate systems. The print quality is very high in all four technologies and it is difficult to appreciate the differences without a trained eye. UV, solvent or water-based inks can be used, although it is advisable to make a print reserve to avoid interference with the adhesive in the area where the film is to be bonded.
The adhesive is designed to dry at the speed that automatic sleeve forming equipment produced by leading manufacturers such as DCM, Accraply, Enprom, Karville and others work. Our products work well on the different application systems that manufacturers incorporate in their formers such as needle, cannula, roller and others.
The appropriate Ibeslab© sleeve adhesive range (also known as Seaming Liquid Adhesive) will depend on the type of plastic, the processing speed and the thickness of the plastic film. As film thicknesses are becoming increasingly thinner (less than 50 microns), we have developed new formulations to prevent the adhesive from penetrating the thin film layer.
The small amount of product to be applied, as well as the width of the seam, may vary depending on the label design and the performance of the converting equipment. For each installation, it is advisable to test the adhesion and adjust the evaporation rate if necessary.
The success of the film sealing process depends on variables that the machine operator must control for each type of film used to make the sleeve. Sometimes the type of machine or plastic substrate used may limit the speed of the machine and it may be necessary to use a different type of Ibeslab© sleeve adhesive formulation, so we have products with a different drying speed to give stability to the seal.
The machines allow to regulate the dosage of the product, as well as the speed, but when these variables are not enough to ensure a good bonding, the faster or slower drying speed of the product in some cases can help to obtain a good result.
We have set the evaporation rate of solvents to a range of 1 to 10, with 1 being slow drying and 10 being very fast.
For the gluing seam to be highly resistant, it is recommended that the film surfaces where the gluing seam is to be made have a “print reserve” where there is no ink that could interfere with the gluing process. We have formulations that work in situations where there is a primer or inks, but a test is recommended in each case.
Another recommendation is that the film should be free of additives or compounds used in the extrusion process that may interfere with the proper functioning of the adhesives.
Our “ready to use” formulations ensure a stable mixture, (as long as proper storage and handling advice is respected) allowing our customers to avoid handling and mixing of flammable and hazardous chemical compounds. Our R&D department develops products that are friendly to occupational health and the environment.
Yes, the ibeslab ID055 reference has been tested with the .030 primer, which is very popular in these machines for printing films, and it works properly.
If it is not possible to reduce the dosing quantity, the solution would be to use an adhesive adapted to thin films (less than 45 microns) such as the Ibeslab© ID067 or LP357 sleeve adhesive references developed for PET and PVC.
Yes, because the film manufacturer must control the quality of the recycled material used and the percentage used in the extrusion process.
Yes, we have products that work with different types of material.
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