Smooth Fuse SF12
Industrial Conveyor Belts Cleaning Lubricant
Smooth Fuse SF12 Introduction
Smooth Fuse SF12 has been formulated to provide cleaning and lubrication in a wide range of bonding applications such as in laminating, hot melt and powder coating machines where adhesive and debris contamination is common.
Smooth Fuse SF12 has been specifically developed to address the problems associated with these types of machines namely adhesive contamination or "stick up". PTFE surface conveyor belts used on laminating machines are designed to withstand the high temperatures involved in the production process while maintaining a non stick PTFE surface to prevent the adhesives and other debris attaching to the belt and interfering with continuous laminating production.
Smooth Fuse SF12 is a unique product which provides both the cleaning and lubrication elements needed to minimise laminating/bonding machine contamination. Regular use of Smooth Fuse SF12 has been shown to reduce machine downtime, to extend machine component life and to smooth out many production problems associated with contamination of machine components and conveyors.
There are a wide range of different types of conveyorised, rotary and calendar machines used for bonding substrates together in industries such as automotive, aerospace, composite manufacturing, defence, pharmaceuticals, building and textiles. These bonding processes are usually carried out at high temperatures (up to 240c) and use adhesives in the form of dry films or webs, adhesive powders and hot melt products for coating. The adhesives cause contamination of the conveyor belts and other surfaces of the machines. The level of contamination varies subject to the application and the adhesives being used. A wide variety of different production and wastage problems can arise as a result of this and some processes can only be carried out with great difficulty. Heavy contamination can result in shortened life of conveyor belts and other components of the machines. Please refer to the Information sheet for application details.
Smooth Fuse SF12 Main features
- Reduces Machine Downtime
- Extends conveyor belt life by lubricating & improving the suppleness of Kevlar/fibreglass base cloth
- Minimising belt replacements arising from belt surface abrasion from offload guides/scrapers
- Reducing belt replacements arising from hard substrates being laminated
- Reducing belt replacements arising from hard deposits damaging conveyor surface
- Minimising stoppages for conveyor and pressure roller cleaning
- Reducing belt joint abrasion and damage where endless belts not used
- Reducing wear and tear to drive systems and other parts of the machine
- Reducing downtime as a result of machine damage from sticking substrates
- Reducing mechanical/electrical strain to rewind systems offload systems caused by sticking substrates
- Reduces friction and abrasion to bottom surface of conveyor running over guides
- Improves quality and reduces wastage
- Reduces wastage from stain marks on laminate arising from belt contamination
- Provides protection from stain marks on substrate occurring along belt abrasion lines
- Avoids sticking substrates causing concertina damage to substrates
- Avoiding laminate surface damage and delamination caused by adhesive contamination
- Improving quality by enhancing substrate "handle"
- Eliminating line abrasion and other impression marks on laminate
- Improves productivity and reduces production slow downs
- Reduces the incidence of sticking substrates/adhesives missing the exit position
- Increases production speed by avoiding laminates colliding with offload guides/scrapers
- Enables faster production speeds without stretching and separation of the laminate
- Avoids slow downs resulting from force peeling of laminate from the conveyor surface
- Increases set up speeds by easy substrate manoeuvring on belt and other surfaces
- Safe to use, no dangerous vapours or CFCs
- Safe - no harmful vapours or CFCs
- Easy - pump action spray delivers a direct, dense, even application every time
- Cost-effective - cleaning and lubricating particles remain active to the last drop
- Available in a variety of sizes and formats
- Assists technological advancement in difficult to laminate substrates
- Allowing the production of new laminates and composites which would otherwise have been impossible due to substrate sticking to conveyor
- Facilitating production improvements in special laminates with adhesive and heat sensitive substrates as the top or bottom layer
- A full 500ml bottle of active cleaner/lubricator and all the fluid is active to the last drop
- Easy to use pump action spray containers which deliver a direct even spray of liquid every time
Smooth Fuse SF12 User Information Sheets
Uses
Smooth Fuse SF12 is primarily formulated to clean and lubricate PTFE and metal surfaces of conveyor laminating machines and other equipment used for bonding dry adhesive powders, film/webs. Polyester, polyamide and other adhesives used in dry adhesive powders, film/webs become molten when subjected to heat. For a variety of reasons it is common for some of the adhesive or substrate particles to be misplaced during the process. This adheres to conveyor belt or platen surfaces, to scraper blades, wiper/cleaning devices of laminating, powder coating and other types of bonding machines. The gradual build up of contamination on conveyor and metal surfaces can eventually cause production slow downs or stoppages, increased wastage and damage, mechanical/ technical problems and disruption to the smooth running of the production process.
Smooth Fuse SF12 is designed to clean surfaces contaminated with adhesive and residue, to act as a preventative agent by lubricating surfaces likely to become contaminated and to loosen hard compacted residue. When used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions Smooth Fuse SF12 will:
- Reduce maintenance and down time associated with adhesive contamination of laminating surfaces
- Reduce substrate sticking problems caused by contaminated laminating surfaces
- Reduce wastage from substrate contamination from dirty laminating surfaces
- Help to extend PTFE surface conveyor belt and cover life
- Reduce the number of servicing and maintenance problems
- Reduce machine stoppages
- Facilitate special bonding applications
One of the unique features of Smooth Fuse SF12 is as a preventative solution & it can also be used continuously while the laminating operations are taking place.
How to use Smooth Fuse SF12
As a preventative barrier lubricant for clean laminating surfaces
One of the most effective and unique cleaning/lubricating properties of Smooth Fuse SF12 is the barrier it creates between potential adhesive contamination and the PTFE coated surfaces of laminating machine conveyor belts and platen covers. This barrier reduces the amount of adhesive sticking to the conveyor belts/platens and reduces the amount of hard residue left after the belts/platens cool down. The Smooth Fuse SF12 barrier also helps to avoid adhesive contamination building up on scrapers and other sections of the laminating machine. This preventative barrier works most effectively if belts and platen surfaces are kept free from contamination by ensuring that, using the machine's wiper systems or by hand, the residue is cleaned from belts/platens as the adhesive is released. It is important therefore that the cleaning systems and surfaces are regularly inspected for effective operation. New cleaning material on wiper systems should be regularly exposed.
- For a conveyor laminating machine ensure that the cleaning/wiper system has new wiper materials fitted for both upper and lower PTFE belts
- Heat up the laminating machine to normal laminating temperature (about 150c) and apply a coating of Smooth Fuse SF12 over the full area of the belts/platen
- In the case of conveyor machines the cleaning wiper material should become saturated with Smooth Fuse SF12. The wipers will then continue to apply a light coating of Smooth Fuse SF12 onto the belts to provide a barrier to the adhesive while the laminating operations are taking place
- Where relevant replace wiper substrates and clean scraper blades regularly
- Apply Smooth Fuse SF12 regularly (normally at least hourly) subject to the amount of adhesive contamination being experienced
As a cleaning agent for contaminated conveyor belts and cleaning systems
- In the case of a conveyor laminating machine ensure that the cleaning/wiper system of the laminating machine has new wiper material fitted for both upper and lower PTFE belts
- Heat up the laminating machine to normal laminating temperature (about 150c) and apply a coating of Smooth Fuse SF12 over the full area of the belts. (see safety below)
- Allow the machine to run for a few minutes applying more Smooth Fuse SF12 as necessary
- If the belts are heavily contaminated the wipers may become saturated with adhesive residue quite quickly as Smooth Fuse SF12 releases the contamination. Either a new surface of the wiper substrates needs to be exposed, or new wiper substrates need to be fitted. This will need to be repeated until the belts are clean. (NB. Subject to the type of machine, the cleaning process for PTFE coated belts/platens can be carried out by hand using a rough cloth and insulated gloves. This is often done while the machine is cooling down but the adhesive contamination is still molten or at the end of a production cycle)
- Clean scrapers if the machine is fitted with these
- When belts are clean replace the wiper material for upper and lower belts
- While the machine is still hot and running, apply another coating of Smooth Fuse SF12. In the case of conveyor machines the wiper substrates should become saturated with Smooth Fuse SF12. The wipers will then continue to apply a light coating of Smooth Fuse SF12 onto the belts to provide a barrier to the adhesive while the laminating operations are taking place. In the case of platen machines bonding presses Smooth Fuse SF12 can be regularly sprayed directly onto the PTFE surfaces
- Where relevant replace wiper substrates and clean scraper blades regularly
- Apply Smooth Fuse SF12 regularly (normally at least hourly) subject to the amount of adhesive contamination being experienced
Availability Formats of Smooth Fuse SF12
- 5 litre containers - With or without heavy duty spray applicator
- 25 litre containers - With or without heavy duty spray applicator (special)
Safety
We recommend avoiding eye and repeated skin contact with Smooth-Fuse. Do not allow skin to come in contact with hot laminating machine surfaces. Use insulated gloves in carrying out any operations referred to in these instructions. Always follow the laminating machine manufacturer's maintenance and machine operating instructions when carrying out any of the operations above.
NB
Where new untried substrates are to be processed through laminating machines we recommend that before production commences tests are carried out to ensure that the new substrates are not effected by Smooth Fuse SF12