GECKO GUIDELINES FOR SOLVENT BASED LAMINATION PROCESS

WITH BOSTIK’S SOLVENT BASED ADHESIVE SYSTEMS

HERBERTS - 2K – EP29 / C2

PREPARATION:
1. Mixing ratio:
The mixing ratio of Bostik adhesive are classify to below groups based on material / ink /
seasons (temperature and humidity), see in following table. Mixing ratio should be check and
take record every time / every shift during mixing preparation and adhesive changed over.

Material Mix ratio: EP29/C2

Film / Film (General purpose & inner layer) 100 / 1
Film / Film (Printed layer & Boiling & Retort & Rotary sealing) 100 / 1
Film / Metallized film (General purpose & inner layer) 100 / 1
Film / Metallized film (Printed layer & Boiling & Rotary sealing) 100 / 1
Film / Aluminum (General purpose & inner layer) 100 / 1
Film / Aluminum (Printed layer & Boiling & Retort & Rotary sealing) 100 / 1
Extrusion lamination 100 / -
EP29/C2 standard mix ratio is 100/1 for dry lamination.

2. Working solid content:

(1) The maximum working solid content of EP29/C2 is 35%.
(2) High working viscosity if working solid content >35% will cause coating weight lower
than target, unstable coating weight during long run, block the cell of gravure, high
solvent retention, bad wettability and so on.
(3) Working viscosity need to be check for every mixing and take record for every shift.
(4) Physical properties and mixing ratio guideline as below tables.

Properties EP29 (NCO) C2 (OH)

Solid content 60% 100%
Viscosity Brookfield at 25°C [mPa.s] 600 - 1200 60 - 80
Solvent EA -

Working Solid Content Application Mixing Ratio Guideline – EP29/C2/EA

25% Dry lamination 100/1/143
30% Dry lamination 100/1/102
35% Dry lamination 100/1/73
8% Extrusion 100/-/650
10% Extrusion 100/-/500
15% Extrusion 100/-/300
3. Mixing procedure and pot life:
(1) Mixing procedure:
a. 80% total solvent quantity to mixing tank. PU grade EA need to use (<0.05% moisture).
b. Resin to mixing tank, 10% solvent quantity to clean the pail of resin, mix 2-5 minutes.
c. Hardener to mixing tank, 10% solvent quantity to clean the pail of hardener.
(2) Pot life:
a. 24 hours after mixing at ambient temperature if diluted into 25-30% solids.
b. Mixed adhesive need to be seal well and keep in cooling condition if adhesive need to
store overnight.
c. Adhesive need to be check if adhesive become white or particle appear before using.
(3) Recirculating system:
a. Recirculating system or automatic viscosity control unit is recommended, to make
sure stable working viscosity.
b. Cap is recommend to use at the top of adhesive tank to prevent solvent evaporation.
c. Baffles is recommend to use, to avoid or improve “foaming” issue.
(4) Reverse NCO terminated adhesives:
a. Separate adhesive tank, recirculating system, pan should be used for reverse NCO
terminated adhesives.
b. Gravure need to clean by solvent more frequently during production.

4. Solvent retention:
(1) Total solvent retention should be <5mg/m2.
(2) The first heating tunnel temperature should be <60oC to avoid “skinning” issue.
(3) Minus pressure in heat tunnels is recommended to help solvent evaporate (outlet > inlet).
(4) Air Flow in the first and second tunnel should be higher and lower in the third tunnel.
(5) Less temperature in the beginning with more air flow and high temp gradually with
reducing air flow.

Heating tunnel design Temperature Guideline (For Reference)

2 heating tunnels unit 55 oC/120 oC
3 heating tunnels unit 50 C /75 oC /80 oC
o

4 heating tunnels unit 50 C /65 oC /75 oC /85 oC

o

5 heating tunnels unit 50 oC /60 oC /70 oC /80 oC /90 oC

5. Gravure selection:
(1) Conventional cell shape gravure has lower coating weight than hexagonal cell shape.
(2) Etching gravure has higher coating weight than digital gravure.
(3) Gravure need to be fully clean before and after lamination.
(4) Paint remover is recommended to fully clean the gravure when 0.5M meters running.
(5) Gravure need to be always rotating during production if need to stop line temporarily.
(6) LPI gravure vs. coating weight for reference (based on conventional etching gravure).

Average depth Working solids Average adhesive dry

LPI
(um) (%) coating weight (gsm)
7% 0.3
200 25 10% 0.45
15% 0.65
15% 0.9
180 35 40% 2.4
45% 2.6
30% 2.5
150 50 35% 2.9
40% 3.3
25% 2.7
120 65 30% 3.3
35% 3.8
25% 3.3
100 80 30% 4.0
35% 4.7

6. Coating Weight Design and Suitable Structures:

Coating weight should be used correctly to avoid an issue such as grey dots, bubbles, low
bonding strength, bad heat resistance and so on. Normally coating weight depends on end
user application, substrate, printing design and ink coating weight. The follow table show
standard coating for Bostik product (for reference, trial need to be run for verification).

Coating Weight Guideline

Structure
(gsm)
Film / Film
General purpose 2.5 - 3.0gsm
Boiling packaging 3.0 - 3.5gsm
Retort packaging 3.5 - 4.0gsm
Stand pouch 3.5 - 4.0gsm
Film / Metallized film
General purpose 2.5 - 3.0gsm
Boiling packaging 3.0 - 3.5gsm
Household product (none aggressive) 3.5 - 4.0gsm
Aggressive products 4.0 - 4.5gsm
Film / Aluminum
General purpose 2.5 - 3.0gsm
Boiling packaging 4.0 - 4.5gsm
Retort packaging 4.0 - 4.5gsm
Household product (none aggressive) 3.5 - 4.0gsm
Aggressive products 4.0 - 4.5gsm
Extrusion Lamination
Film / Film 0.2 – 1.0gsm
7. Nip setting:
Sealing film Temperature Guideline (For Reference)
PE structures 50 - 65 oC
CPP structures 65 - 75 oC

8. Limitation of running speed:

Lamination speed is not only based on machine and adhesives, it also based on type of film,
thickness and printing ink quality. In following table show typical speed for each lamination
structures. Need to run trials to confirm the limitation of running speed.

Suggest running speed

Structure
(m/min)
Film / Film
General purpose 120 - 200 m /min
Boiing & Retort packaging 120 - 180 m / min
Film / metallized film
General purpose 120 - 180 m /min
Boiing packaging 120 - 150 m / min
Film / Aluminum
General purpose 80 – 150 m / min
Boiing & Retort packaging 80 - 120 m / min

9. Ink and substrates compatibility with solvent free adhesives:

(1) Trial must to be run before changing ink types, ink suppliers and substrates suppliers to
verify the compatibility between solvent based adhesives and materials (ink and
substrates) to avoid tacky issue, bubbles issue, grey dots issue, appearance issue, low
bonds issue and bad heat resistance issue.
(2) For printed substrates, ethanol retention and moisture retention must to be controlled
<1mg/m2 to avoid tacky issue, bubbles issue and delamination issue.
(3) COF of PE and CPP substrates must to be checked every batches, from the outer of the
roll to the core of roll, to make sure stable COF.
(4) High slip PE may affect BSV. Trial need to be run for verify the compatibility.
(5) NY need to protect to absorb moisture. Printed NY need to cover by metalized substrate,
and use for lamination as soon as possible.
(6) Metalized substrates need to use fresh batch, metalized is easy to be oxidation by
moisture. Max recommended storage time is 1 month.
(7) Surface tension (Dyne level) is important factor that effect to appearance and bonding
strength. Each substrate has standard dyne level that good for lamination, see in
following table. The issue will be found if dyne level below standard. Dyne level should
be more than minimum value and dyne level should be checked every time you do
lamination by use specific dyne pen.

Material Dyne level

PET 50 – 52
OPA 50 – 52
PE 38 – 42
CPP 38 – 40
OPP 38 – 40
10. Curing condition:
EP29 is polyester adhesive, the ideal curing temperature should be 40-50oC.
Curing time need to be elongation if ambient curing (>30oC).
All laminated rolls have to be horizontally hanged.
Do not suggest to do slitting process during curing, to make sure stable performance.

Application Curing temperature Curing time for bag making

General performance 40 degC 48 - 72 hours
Boling application 40 – 45 degC 72 - 96 hours
Retort application 45 - 55 degC 96 - 120 hours
Extrusion lamination 25 - 40 degC 24 - 48 hours