Gluing carton[carton?:carton box sample cutting machine] can be either timed or untimed. In untimed gluing carton, adhesive need only be applied to the strip lying outside the interior of the box . Cartons can travel as fast as the belt carrying them through the gluer will allow. The glue flaps of these cartons pass over a rotating wheel immersed in a bath of adhesive after which the box is folded upon itself and sealed. To see an animation of this process, Straightline Folding Carton.
However, as application systems and gluer technology has become more advanced, complex patterns of adhesive can be applied without sacrificing productivity. Cold or hot adhesive may be applied by ejecting precise beads of glue wherever they are required .
As the carton passes through the machine, scores are pre-broken, adhesive is applied and glued panels are folded together. Before the boxes can be packed in corrugated shippers at the end of the line, however, they must pass through a compression section which not only gives the adhesive courtesy of Nordson Corporation time to set up, but reduces “fluff,” the tendency for the box to spring open, allowing for maximum pack counts when shipping.
