The atmospheric plasma treatment is integrated in the gluer lines to activate the substrate before the application of the glue. This enhances the adhesion capacity of the box.
Plasma cleans the surface and acts on the surface tension in order to guarantee maximum adherence. The adhesive is glued homogeneously and it is time-resistant (also with laminated boxes, boxes coated with film or metallised boxes).
The glue is applied along the folding edge of the box, in well-defined strips with a maximum width of 10mm. The fact that the surface that needs to be treated is very small means that the plasma treatment is more effective and convenient than the corona treatment. The implementation of the plasma treatment on folder-gluer lines is simple and requires little maintenance. The treatment is also available with two nozzles for gluing multiple points.
The plasma discharge is eco-friendly because it does not produce ozone and it only needs compressed air to direct the flow toward the area that needs to be treated, it reduces the amount of hot-melt glue needed and it allows to use the cheaper cold glues with excellent results
How does the plasma treatment work?
The adhesion process is affected by the mechanical interconnection “surface substrate-adhesive” and chemical bonds. Contaminant particles (dust, fibres, micro metal fragments, and fingerprints) create an ultra-thin layer of impurities on the surface that does not allow a good anchoring of the glue, and reduces the wettability of materials and weakens the bond of intermolecular forces between the surface and the adhesive
Atmospheric plasma directs a flow of atoms and ions toward the substrate. This flow breaks up, removes and vaporizes contaminant particles replacing inert molecules with more reactive ones.
Ferrarini & Benelli designs and manufactures stations and generators for corona and plasma treatments in Romanengo (Cremona, Italy). In 2018, the company won the Felix Industry Award – A competing Lombardy as best small company of Cremona and it was also among the best small companies of Lombardy for management performance.
Leader for more than 55 years in the corona treatment, Ferrarini & Benelli also offers the In Air Plasma treatment, that assures optimal levels of wettability for cardboard packaging, polymers, plastic materials and metals, helping the application of inks, varnishes, glues and coatings.
The system can be integrated in new lines or in already existing ones. It is composed of digital generator with integrated transformer, one or more dedicated nozzles connected to the generator by a shielded cable (2,5 m long) and pressure regulator with manometer.
The treatment width of every single nozzle is about 10mm.
