If your business uses corrugated cartons, you must have some way to seal them properly. You could use a taping system, but taping is expensive and time-consuming. starch glue is a cost-effective material for sealing cartons, and it creates a strong and durable bond. However, it is not always a good idea to make adhesive on your own, because it may create several problems.
Problems with Your Own Glue Recipe
Making inexpensive adhesive is not a complicated process. In fact, you have probably made glue many times as a child. For example, to make papier–mâché, you only need some flour, water and a method for mixing. Starches make excellent adhesives because they turn into a paste which becomes tacky. However, homemade paste does not do well in commercial applications.
Viscosity
A homemade adhesive is usually quite thin and not easy to mix. When you try to thicken the solution, you often get lumps. To prevent this problem, you must add heat to the mixture. When you heat starch glue, the granules absorb moisture, and the adhesive thickens. If you have made gravy, you understand how the process works. Take meat drippings and add flour. Next, you just need to heat the mixture in a pan and stir, to create a nice thick gravy.
Commercial Applications
To manufacture commercial grade starch glue, you need specialized equipment called a starch kitchen. Professional starch kitchens only need four main ingredients:
* Water
* Starch
* Borax
* Caustic
Your kitchen equipment mixes all the ingredients and can solve the following issues:
* Simplifies recycled paper bonding – many adhesives do not work well on recycled paper products.
* Improves viscosity – starched based adhesives are often too thin.
* No needs for costly additives – adhesive ingredients are a huge operating cost.
* Increased production
* Higher efficiency
