Environment-friendly packaging technologies and equipment are the key factors in achieving value. Green packaging equipment is a hi-tech, highly competitive product that combines aspects of mechatronics, photoelectricity and bionics. The adoption of new, continually developing composite packaging materials into the mainstream means that the requirements for packaging equipment and processes are becoming stricter.
The gluing machine, which comes last in the process of packing boxes, is used to fold and glue post-print and die-cutting cardboard or PVC-PET-PP film, in place of manual gluing. Suitability, investment cost and manufacturer’s expertise should be taken into account when purchasing a gluer.
I. Semi-automatic paper box gluers are mainly used for large packing boxes, corrugated cases and other boxes which cannot be handled by fully automatic gluers. The process includes automatic feeding, edging, gluing, a conveyor belt, manual folding, and shaping by the air-pressure press on one side (six stations per side). The semi-automatic plastic box gluer is mainly used for gluing the edges of PVC-PET-PP plastic boxes. The process includes manual box folding, gluing, a conveyor belt and shaping by hand folding. A machine-glued packing box has the advantage of being attractive, having a strong sticky edge and saving glue, while its output is determined by the worker’s proficiency.
II. The fully automatic paper box gluer usually comes in three types:

1. The ordinary side gluer. This has the normal functions of dual-sided folding and gluing. It enjoys the highest market share and widest application. It is the most common replacement for manual gluing.
2. The gluer with a pre-folder. An ordinary carton is basically square-shaped, while the ordinary gluer and manual gluing allows for folds on only two sides, leaving the other two sides unfolded - just depressed. This method stops the carton from being opened easily and causes jams in the automatic loading line. The pre-folded boxes, however, are suitable for automatically loading packaging machines, especially pill boxes, and basically use the pre-folding gluer.
3. The gluer with a crash-lock. This has the same basic functions of the above two types. It can also fold and glue the bottom of the box. Boxes glued in this way are easy to open and, as the bottom has been well glued, manual bottom plugging is unnecessary. The industry term for this is “automatic bottom”.

Due to accelerated globalization and tough competition, the domestic printing and packaging industry is becoming increasingly integrated into the global market. However, current domestic gluing technology and gluer production lags far behind advanced international standards, with a large proportion of the domestic market still reliant on manual gluing. The advantage of low-cost domestic labor is gradually diminishing as companies face labor shortages. In light of this, the industry has accepted the fact that adopting automation technology is both inevitable and necessary.

In recent years, although some domestic gluing machines have made great progress, their cost has remained high due to the need to copy the technical specifications of international models, a practice that is prohibitively expensive for the local Chinese industry. This has greatly restricted the development of the domestic packaging industry. How to chart its own developmental path has become a key concern for domestic manufacturers of gluing machines. Technological innovation is now accepted as the only sure way to bolster development.

Breaking new ground is among Dongguan Huajie Machinery’s fortes. At the upcoming SinoFoldingCarton 2010 exhibition*, the company will display the HJ-650N PVC-PET-PP automatic gluer based on intellectual property rights of which it is the sole owner. This machine is suitable for PVC-PET-PP plastic boxes and uses an independent side-gluing device that can be used flexibly for gluing inside and outside of the box. The equipment is practically designed and manual folding is not needed, which greatly improves production efficiency. The HJ-650N PVC-PET-PP automatic gluer has a specially designed glue-spraying unit. Dongguan Huajie Machinery is the first company to use photoelectric glue-spraying for PET plastic box gluing, with transparent and linear gluing. The hot melting device is used to glue PP plastic boxes, a practice that overcomes the need for complex traditional gluing. Glue is no longer necessary, so the box is safer, more environment-friendly and meets the domestic manufacturers’ demand for favorable pricing.

In today's economic environment, the cost and efficiency of equipment are key factors in determining competitiveness. Dongguan Huajie Machinery launched the new plastic box edging machine to meet domestic demand. It is suitable for edging PVC-PET-PP plastic boxes safely and conveniently. More importantly, it can be used together with manufacturers’ existing semi-automatic plastic box gluers, where plastic boxes are sent directly to semi-automatic plastic box gluers for shaping by gluing after automatic folding and no manual folding is needed. Therefore, it is ideal for small and medium-sized transparent packaging. Its considerable competitiveness in the market reflects that.

Dongguan Huajie Machinery will continue to focus on the future development of new gluing technology and promoting the development of the domestic printing and packaging industry. With competition becoming increasingly intense, the company knows that only innovation, perfect R & D management mechanisms and high-quality service will assure success. This is why the company has in place a five-year development plan to enhance the strength of its engineering and technical team. Three to five new projects will be developed each year in the plan’s initial phase. As for marketing, Zhejiang Marketing Sales and Service Centers will be set up in 2010 for East China customers, while a fully automated gluing center will also be built to service customers’ needs.

*SinoFoldingCarton 2010 will take place at the Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center in Houjie, Dongguan, from April 7 to April 9, 2010.