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Adhesive Use, Waste and Cost
Adhesive Use, Waste or Operating Cost Is Too High
The lowest-priced adhesive is not always the lowest-cost solution.
The true cost of an adhesive application includes more than the price per pound or gallon. How much adhesive is being applied, how consistently the equipment runs, how much waste the process creates, and how reliably the finished product performs can have a much greater impact on total operating cost.
The right measurement is not only adhesive price. It is the total cost of producing a dependable finished product.
Where Is the Cost Really Coming From?
Adhesive-related operating cost may include:
Adhesive consumption
Excessive coat weight or bead size
Cleanup labor
Equipment downtime
Scrap and rejected products
Rework
Maintenance labor and replacement parts
Energy use
Application temperature
Production speed and throughput
Customer complaints or returns
Emergency shipments
Inventory requirements
Product shelf life
Packaging and disposal
A lower-priced adhesive that requires a higher coat weight, creates more cleanup, slows production, or contributes to rejected products may ultimately cost more than a higher-performing alternative.
Likewise, the adhesive itself may not be where the greatest savings opportunity exists.
HAR can evaluate the adhesive and the way it is being applied to identify opportunities involving coat weight, bead size, pattern optimization, adhesive mileage, application accuracy, equipment efficiency, clean-running performance, set speed, throughput, waste reduction, and inventory.
Sometimes the opportunity is a different adhesive. Sometimes it is better application control, equipment improvement, a process adjustment, or a combination of changes.
The objective is not simply to use the least expensive adhesive—or even the least amount of adhesive. It is to use the right amount, in the right place, in a process that consistently produces the required bond.
Using more adhesive than expected—or paying for problems that may be preventable? Let’s look at the total cost of the application.
Why Manufacturers Contact HAR About Adhesive Use, Waste and Cost
Adhesive consumption is higher than expected or has increased without an obvious explanation.
Operators are applying extra adhesive to compensate for inconsistent bond performance.
Excess adhesive, stringing, dripping, overspray, or poor cutoff is creating unnecessary waste and cleanup.
Coat weight, bead size, or application pattern has never been optimized for the process.
Adhesive buildup is increasing maintenance requirements or contributing to downtime.
Scrap, rejects, rework, or customer complaints are adding costs that are not reflected in the adhesive purchase price.
Production speed is being limited by adhesive set, drying, curing, or application performance.
The current application equipment cannot control adhesive placement or volume consistently.
Energy use, application temperature, maintenance parts, or cleanup labor is increasing the total cost of the process.
Purchasing is comparing adhesive price per pound or gallon, but the company wants to understand actual cost per finished product.
The manufacturer wants to determine whether a different adhesive, equipment adjustment, pattern change, or process improvement could reduce total operating cost.
The company wants an adhesive partner that can evaluate material cost, application equipment, production performance, and finished bond quality together.
