After recently launching new hot melt hoses with metal core on the market, Baumer hhs is now following up with Xmelt fusion, its latest generation of melters. Introduced in rapid succession, these two innovations take the company’s product range for hot melt applications to an entirely new level – and enable customers in the packaging industry to optimize their processes.
“We chose the name ‘Xmelt fusion’ for our new melters because they so perfectly unite efficiency and sustainability. On one hand, they combine maximum ease-of-use with the performance, quality and reliability for which our equipment is known worldwide. On the other, they are designed in strict adherence to our holistic Rethink. Renew. Recycle. sustainability principles. This means that, with this equipment, our customers improve the resource-efficiency of both their products and processes. The resulting Xmelt fusion platform meets the highest demands in packaging production and end-of-line processing”, says Martin Kotecki, Packaging Business Development Manager at Baumer hhs.
Xmelt fusion fits seamlessly in the company’s series of recent innovations, developed by its specialists by improving on existing equipment and integrating advanced electronics. For example, the hot melt tank of the new product line has been redesigned. “Our goal was to achieve a maximum melt rate while minimizing volume and energy consumption, and maximizing reliability in production. With Xmelt fusion, our customers can now reach a melt rate of up to 14 kg hot melt adhesive per hour with an energy input of just 1.6 kW. Thanks to this high-level performance, even our compact “Basic” unit can handle about 90% of all packaging applications”, Kotecki explains.
The Basic unit can further be combined with an Xfeed system that keeps it continuously supplied with hot melt adhesive granules. It melts the conveyed adhesive on an as-needed basis – and enables customers to fully exploit the productivity of their production lines for hot melt applications. A “Special Volume” model with the same melt rate rounds out the Xmelt fusion series. It can store non-conveyable adhesives in the area of the tank, significantly minimizing the time and effort required for manual filling. In short, the product line of melters from Baumer hhs has been streamlined. And that is an advantage particularly for machine manufacturers who install Xmelt melters in their systems.
Advanced equipment for future-proof production processes
To make production processes future-proof, systems have to meet other key requirements as well, such as being easy to operate and service. The Xmelt fusion melters have a new and intuitive HMI that couldn’t be easier to use. The graphic design of the interface is very similar to that of the Xtend3 controllers from Baumer hhs, meaning that machine operators don’t have to adapt to something new. The Xmelt fusion melters are optionally equipped with a built-in 3.5” display or an external 7” display. The external display offers extensive flexibility for operating the melter. It includes a software solution for optimizing energy consumption and an indicator of how much adhesive is being consumed.
As part of its melter redesign, Baumer hhs has also positioned all components relevant to maintenance at the front of the machine. Service technicians have easy access to them, including the valve used to drain residual adhesive during cleaning. They can now replace wear parts more easily than ever before.
“Our new Xmelt fusion melters automatically and proactively notify operators of recommended service activities, such as when to replace filters or which maintenance tasks need to be performed. They also provide job-specific data on adhesive and energy consumption, which can be used to analyse and optimise processes. In this regard, customers can access functions they are familiar with from our Xtend3 controllers, including storing and managing job settings for rapid job changeovers”, says Kotecki, describing the added benefits of this feature in the new Xmelt fusion melters.
Like existing hot melt units from Baumer hhs, the new systems have a metal housing that contributes greatly to their durability, longevity and sustainability. The new melters have a stylish, modern look and can be flexibly configured with ports for six or eight application heads. The improved insulation enhances work safety for operators. At the same time, it minimises energy dissipation, which in combination with the automatic energy-saving functions increases the new equipment’s already high energy efficiency.
In other words, Xmelt fusion, with its well-conceived design, represents a new generation of melters in every respect. It is the ideal platform for further advancements and therefore a secure investment for customers.
