OVERVIEW:
A manufacturer of entrance doors for homes used coil-rolled steel to laminate vinyl to metal with a B-stage adhesive and an in-house process using curing ovens and nip rollers. Problems with adhesion began to lead to high scrap rates with inconsistent bonding and failure with the vinyl coming off in many areas. The type of adhesive used and the application method ultimately determine the quality of the end product.
CHALLENGE:
Laminating to metal can be accomplished in several different ways with in-house processes often fraught with challenges leading to poor quality and significant scrap. Coil coating adhesives to metal offers advantages with consistency in film thickness and curing, leading to a higher quality product. Even when outsourcing to a coil coater, manufacturers may experience challenges with the adhesive used and can find it difficult for adhesive suppliers to customize the product to suit their needs.
SOLUTION:
This manufacturer of entry doors for manufactured homes turned to UNICHEM to identify the reason for the inconsistent bonding. UNICHEM provided a solution by adjusting the temperature parameters of the curing oven and providing a custom-formulated industrial adhesive, uniBOND®, that was designed to cure within a broader temperature range. This door manufacturer began to outsource the entire process with the coil coater delivering a finished, vinyl-coated product with UNICHEM’s uniBOND® adhesive formulation.
RESULTS and BENEFITS:
This door company started to receive their products already sized and stamped into shape, improving their end-product quality. With one operation at the coil coater’s facility, they were able to achieve the following benefits:
- Reduced cost of in-house labor
- Eliminated costs of application equipment
- Removed environmental concerns
- Improved product quality
Download: UNICHEM Case Study – How One Door Company Reduced Costs and Improved Quality (PDF)
UNICHEM offers unique solutions by formulating our uniBOND® industrial adhesive to meet custom requirements. Contact us with your adhesion problems for a solution tailored to meet your needs.