Industrial Automation Specialists Corporation (IAS Corp.) is developing a new line of equipment that will significantly reduce turnaround time and testing in the adhesives industry. This line is called Novalec and represents technological advancements over previous equipment used by this industry. Novalec has been selected by a large international chemical company to handle glue application and testing in the same machine.
“The machine will test hot melt glue applications on different substrates, allowing for multiple scenarios in the same time period,” explains IAS project manager Dave Wallace. “The current process requires one machine for applying the adhesive, and a second machine for testing, including pull-force testing.”
Furthermore, improvements both in minimum dispensed adhesive amounts, better uniformity across dispensed amounts and higher accuracy of yield point detection are real benefits of the Novalec line.
The new solution from IAS Corp. will allow engineers to perform development and quality assurance testing using a single piece of equipment. “They will be able to apply glue in a variety of different thickness levels, to multiple types of substrate and then test the application and log the results all from the same machine,” explains Wallace.
The machine will decrease QA testing times, increase efficiency and is expected to have a positive impact on accuracy as well. “With everything happening in the same machine there’s less opportunity for error when moving between equipment,” adds Wallace. “This is a one-stop shop for adhesive development and testing and we believe it will lead to new ways of thinking about adhesive application and testing.”
IAS Corp. is a manufacturing and automation solution provider based in Hampton, Virginia with locations in Houston Texas and Chester, Virginia. The firm designs and builds custom machines, integrates custom controls, automates repetitive processes, and transforms outdated equipment into reliable, easy to operate, state of the art machines. They can be reached at 1-800-916-4272 or on the web at www.iascorp.net.
See the hot melt glue testing machine in action: