How Full Is Your Tank?
*This blog was originally published in 2023 and republished with updates in 2025.
Sometimes, overfilling something is a good thing. You know, when you get a bag of chips that’s actually filled to the brim with crunchy goodness instead of air? Or how about when you order a 10-piece wing from Buffalo Wild Wings and they accidentally give you 11? Literal chef’s kiss. But there are also moments when overfilling isn’t great and can lead to problems down the road. For example, when filling your hot melt equipment tanks.
Save Yourself From A (Hot) Melt Down
We know you want your tanks to hold as much as possible to keep production moving and to reduce the downtime it takes to stop and refill but overfilling your hot melt equipment tanks can lead to many problems. The biggest concern is the risk of serious burns and injuries when an operator attempts to fill past the designated fill line.
The equipment itself can also sustain damage because of overfilling the tank. For example, if the overtemperature thermostat is damaged, the unit could fail open which means it wouldn’t heat. If the unit experiences a fail close, it could overheat to dangerously high temperatures, past the point of repair, and cause bodily harm to users.
Save Yourself from A (Hot) Melt Down
We know you want your tanks to hold as much as possible to keep production moving and to reduce the downtime it takes to stop and refill but overfilling your hot melt equipment tanks can lead to many problems. The biggest concern is the risk of serious burns and injuries when an operator attempts to fill past the designated fill line.
The equipment itself can also sustain damage because of overfilling the tank. For example, if the overtemperature thermostat is damaged, the unit could fail open which means it wouldn’t heat. If the unit experiences a fail close, it could overheat to dangerously high temperatures, past the point of repair, and cause bodily harm to users.
Overfilled Tank? Never Heard of Her
If you’re thinking right now, “If only there were a system that could be added to hot melt equipment that would keep equipment and operators safe from the risks of overfilling,” boy, do we have good news for you. CGM is excited to offer a solution to help you avoid the drama of overfilling. It’s called (drumroll, please) the Astro Packaging SureFill™ automatic adhesive filling system. The SureFill™ system monitors and maintains adhesive levels in a hot melt unit, making sure the reservoir is always filled to the optimum level (which can cause char and thermal shock during operation when not maintained!). The automatic adhesive filling system also takes the pressure off the operator. No more worrying about glue spills, overfilling, or operator burns.
The SureFill™ system features an ultra-sonic level sensor that signals the PLC to feed adhesive from the supply container to the hot melt reservoir when adhesive levels lower. Once the reservoir is filled back up to the appropriate level, the sensor turns off air pressure and the flow of adhesive, and your hot melt equipment can keep happily humming along.
Take Care of Your Tank, Your Tank Will Take Care of You
While it may seem like a good solution to keep things running, overfilling your hot melt equipment tank could be a costly mistake. With the risk of damaging the equipment comes expensive repairs and preventative maintenance. Only fill to the fill line and keep your tanks happy and humming along.
Want to learn more about the Astro Packaging SureFill™ automatic adhesive filling system? Let’s chat! Give our expert team of glue dudes and dudettes a call at 1 (800) 419-GLUE or send a “hello” our way here.
