Cosmo Films, a global leader in speciality films for flexible packaging, lamination and labeling applications as well as synthetic paper has installed a new solvent-less lamination machine at its Karjan plant, Vadodara.
The new machine has been commissioned at company’s existing facility at Karjan, near Vadodara, India which already houses BOPP lines, extrusion coating & chemical coating lines and a metalizer. The installed machine is a Nordmeccanica product which is 1.8 meter wide and can run upto 450m/min speed. The machine can produce multilayer film laminates in any thickness and go as thick as 450 microns. The laminate could be a combination of different materials such as PP, PET, PE, Nylon, Aluminium foil or Paper. A dedicated sheet cutter of the same width has also been installed next to the machine to process its output.
As the machine can laminate structures as thick as 450 microns, it would help the company serve customers requiring thick film laminates. Some of the applications areas of thick laminates include graphic arts, baggage tags, retort & stand-up pouches, high-strength hanging labels, aseptic boxes & luncheon trays, composites for construction & auto-segment etc. The machine could also help company with the R&D testing during new product development process.
Speaking on the development, Pankaj Poddar, CEO Cosmo Films said, “Solvent-less lamination machine is the latest addition to our R&D portfolio; also available for our customers having thick lamination needs. Moreover, solvent-less lamination being an eco-friendly process with no emissions and low energy demands would also help us with our sustainability goals.”
Solvent-less lamination process
As the name indicates the adhesives used in the lamination process do not contain solvents. Solvent-less adhesive generally used is a specific type of adhesive composed by two components reacting with each other and consequently not requiring drying. The two components of the adhesives are mixed first and then applied to the film by roll coating method. Then these two components react with each other on the film web itself without any heat or radiation. The ratio of these components is important for polymerization which consequently decides rate of curing and bond strength. Low viscosity of these two components allows easy coating on the film. Initially the adhesive lends a very low green bond but within a span of 24 hours the adhesive gets cured and develops strength.