Pillow Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) Production Line | JCT Machinery

Pillow Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) Production Line

A pillow pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) production line produces pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive in pillow-shaped form — similar to a small inflatable pillow. PSA is a hot melt adhesive that maintains permanent viscosity at room temperature: it is coated on the substrate after heating and melting, still maintains a certain viscosity after cooling, bonds under low pressure and can be repeatedly pasted and peeled. JCT Machinery supplies complete pillow pressure sensitive adhesive production lines — from reactor melting and vacuum deaeration to filtration, die-head extrusion, inflation molding, water cooling and packaging.

What Is Pressure Sensitive Adhesive?

Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) is a hot melt adhesive that maintains permanent viscosity at room temperature. It can be coated on the surface of the substrate after heating and melting, and still maintains a certain viscosity after cooling. It can achieve bonding under low pressure and can be repeatedly pasted and peeled.

What Is Pillow PSA?

Pillow PSA is pressure sensitive adhesive supplied in pillow-shaped form instead of a solid block. In a pillow PSA production line, the melt is extruded through the die head and then inflated and molded, and the product is cooled with water. Pillow PSA is convenient to store, melt and dose, and works well with automated adhesive application lines.

Pillow PSA Production Line Equipment Configuration

A complete pillow pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) production line from JCT Machinery typically includes the following units:

1. Reactor (or sigma mixer)
2. Storage tank
3. Vacuum system
4. Filtration system
5. Chiller system
6. Packaging machine
7. Cooling water tank
    

Reactor: The Heart of the Pillow PSA Production Line

The reactor is responsible for controlling the temperature, pressure and mixing speed of the raw materials. The raw materials used to make pillow pressure sensitive adhesive typically include a base polymer (such as SIS, SBS, SEBS or EVA), a tackifying resin, a softener / plasticizer, an antioxidant and a filler. These materials are added to the reactor in specific proportions and heated to a specific temperature to create a homogeneous mixture.

The reactor plays a vital role in the pillow PSA production line, as it ensures that the pressure sensitive adhesive produced is of consistent quality and meets the desired specifications. The reactor also helps to eliminate any impurities or contaminants that may be present in the raw materials, ensuring that the final product is of high quality — and it directly determines the viscosity and homogeneity that the filtration, extrusion and inflation molding stages depend on.

Reactor specification available from JCT Machinery:

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Formula

How to Produce Pressure Sensitive Adhesives of Different Qualities

JCT provides high-quality equipment to ensure that you can produce high-quality pressure sensitive adhesives. To obtain pressure sensitive adhesive with different performance characteristics, the formula of the pressure sensitive adhesive needs to be adjusted:

1. Selection of tackifying resin types: C5 resin enhances initial adhesion, C9 resin improves peel strength, and rosin resin improves transparency.
2. Selection of polymers: SIS provides better elasticity, SBS enhances aging resistance, and SEBS is suitable for higher-end applications.
3. Adjustment of softener: Affects the flexibility, fluidity and low-temperature resistance of the colloid, and needs to be adjusted according to application requirements.
4. Addition of antioxidants: Prevents thermal degradation and extends the service life of hot melt glue.
    

How the Pillow PSA Production Process Works

1. Feeding and storage — the base polymer (SIS, SBS, SEBS or EVA), tackifying resin, softener / plasticizer, antioxidant and filler are delivered into the storage tank.
2. Melting and mixing — the raw materials are added to the reactor in specific proportions, heated to a specific temperature and mixed into a homogeneous melt under controlled temperature, pressure and mixing speed.
3. Vacuum deaeration — the vacuum system removes air and other gases trapped in the adhesive, preventing bubbles and other defects.
4. Filtration — the filtration system removes impurities and contaminants from the melt.
5. Extrusion and inflation molding — the melt is extruded through the die head and then inflated and molded into pillow form.
6. Cooling — the chiller system and the cooling water tank cool the pillow PSA with water, controlling the temperature and cooling rate.
7. Packaging — the packaging machine packs the finished pillow pressure sensitive adhesive for shipping.

Technical Advantages of JCT's Pillow PSA Production Line

1. Automated and precise control to improve production efficiency
2. Efficient mixing and uniform dispersion to ensure colloid quality
3. Precise temperature control systems to optimize colloid performance
4. Highly environmentally friendly design in line with international standards
5. Compatible with multiple applications to meet different market needs
    

Pillow PSA vs Bulk PSA: What Is the Difference?

Both lines share the same reactor melting, vacuum deaeration and filtration stages; the difference is the molding method, the product form and the cooling system. If your application needs solid blocks for industrial thick coating instead, see our bulk pressure sensitive adhesive production line.

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Production Process

FAQ: Pillow PSA Production Line and Reactor

Q: How to produce pressure sensitive adhesives of different qualities?

A: JCT provides high-quality equipment to ensure that you can produce high-quality pressure sensitive adhesives. Adjust the formula: use C5 resin to enhance initial adhesion, C9 resin to improve peel strength or rosin resin to improve transparency; choose SIS for elasticity, SBS for aging resistance or SEBS for higher-end applications; adjust the softener for flexibility, fluidity and low-temperature resistance; and add antioxidants to prevent thermal degradation.

Q: What is a pillow pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) production line?

A: It is a production line that melts, mixes, deaerates and filters pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive in a reactor, then extrudes and inflation-molds it into pillow-shaped form, cools it with water and packs it. A typical configuration includes a reactor or sigma mixer, a storage tank, a vacuum system, a filtration system, a chiller system, a packaging machine and a cooling water tank.

Q: What is the role of the reactor in a pillow PSA production line?

A: The reactor controls the temperature, pressure and mixing speed of the raw materials. It melts and mixes the base polymer (SIS, SBS, SEBS or EVA), tackifying resin, softener, antioxidant and filler into a homogeneous mixture, and determines the viscosity used by the filtration, extrusion and inflation molding stages.

Q: What is the difference between a pillow PSA production line and a bulk PSA production line?

A: The pillow line extrudes the melt through the die head and then inflation-molds it into a pillow shape, cooled with water. The bulk line extrudes the melt and then calenders or casts it into a solid cube or rectangular block, cooled with water or metal plate conduction cooling for rapid solidification.

Q: What is the difference between pressure sensitive adhesive and ordinary hot melt glue?

A: Ordinary hot melt glue sets hard after cooling and bonds once. Pressure sensitive adhesive maintains permanent viscosity at room temperature, so it bonds under low pressure and can be repeatedly pasted and peeled.

Contact JCT Machinery

Looking for a reliable pillow pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) production line, or the right reactor capacity for your output? Contact JCT Machinery and tell us your formula, output and product form requirement — our engineers will recommend the equipment configuration and provide a free quotation.