Have you been following our series on adhesive packaging failures? If so–congrats–you’ve reached the end! If this series is new to you, you can learn about the different types of failures we’ve discussed and how to solve them here:
Part 1 – Adhesive Pre-Set
Part 2 – “Chewing Gum Failure”
Part 3 – Poor Adhesion
Part 4 – Poor Compression
Part 5 – Heat Resistance Failure
We wrap up the series with Part 6 – Cold Resistance Failure. How do you know if low temperatures are causing your packages to pop open? How do you solve the issue?
Similar to heat failure, manufacturers and those involved in the packaging process do not notice cold resistance failure right away. It takes time for the failure to occur, typically happening during storage or transit. Perhaps the product was stored in a freezer or cold weather below the service temperature of the adhesive. Whichever the cause, packaging failure can cost your plant thousands of dollars as a result of downtime, returned product and repackaging.
What Indicates Cold Failure?
If you suspect cold resistance failure, you’ll notice that the substrate has a cracking, brittle appearance along with adhesive on both sides. This effect is what is also known as “cold cracking.”
How to Solve Cold Resistance Failure
You can resolve the issue by simply identifying an alternative adhesive designed to withstand low temperatures. This solution is likely to be your best option since it allows you to continue production without making changes to your storage or shipping process. Switching to an adhesive with higher cold resistance will allow your boxes to endure colder conditions during storage and shipping.
We always recommend working with an adhesive supplier to properly identify the issue. If you’re faced with packaging failures or need help identifying an adhesive for your application, contact us at 1-800-844-1740 or use the contact form below. We have a team of technical analysts that will quickly respond to your inquiry.