Foam Application Tips for Flight Cases

Flight cases and other protective containers are crucial to the safety of delicate equipment during transportation. The key to keeping items tucked away securely inside lies in the foam cushioning, best affixed with a robust and reliable adhesive. 

In this guide, Adkwik explores the best glues for attaching flight case foam, ensuring your product manufacturing reaches exceptional standards that your customers can depend on. 

The Criteria for Glueing Flightcase Foam

To simplify the search for a suitable adhesive, let’s establish the criteria it needs to meet.

Bond to Foam and Case Materials:

The selected adhesive must be versatile enough to adhere to the foam and the casing, whatever materials are involved. Typically, plywood forms the structural components of flight cases, but the foam may need to bond to an aluminium framework or a laminated surface.

Ensure Durability: 

Flight cases often utilise EVA foam for shock absorption. It is essential to choose an adhesive that can hold this foam securely, withstand rigorous conditions, and resist impact to ensure maximum protection for the contents inside.

Provide water resistance:

Flight cases promise to be incredibly protective, so your bond must be watertight. With this extra layer of safeguarding, you instil confidence that your customer’s belongings will remain safe and secure during transportation.

Withstand temperature variations:

Flight and travel cases may encounter diverse temperature conditions. The adhesive must perform consistently across a wide temperature range, avoiding contraction or warping.  

The Best Adhesive for Bonding Flightcase Foam

While products such as high-performance double-sided tape or a spray adhesive for foam are viable options, a quality hot melt adhesive tends to be the most effective glue for constructing protective cases, as it meets all the criteria set out above.

Timbond H509 Hotmelt Adhesive

Timbond H509, in particular, would be an excellent glue for flight case foam applications. Its outstanding traits include the following:

• Renowned for bonding foam and insulation to most sheet materials.
• Flexible bond line for resilience against vibrations.
• Excellent thermal stability to withstand temperature fluctuations.
• Tacky qualities for a precise, neat fit during case assembly.
• Immediate dry bond for quicker processing, boxing, and dispatching.

See how Timbond H509 compares to a standard spray glue by watching it in action here. 

Meler B4 Hot Melt Adhesive Melter Machine Kit

Pair the hot melt glue with the Meler B4 Hot Melt Adhesive Melter Machine Kit for optimal performance. This advanced system ensures your adhesive works quicker, safer, and more cost-effective.

Faster Results: 

The Meler B4 has an excellent melting rate and is easy to use, speeding up your application process. It also uses a Raptor Handy applicator with an innovative 360° swivel function – excellent for spreading glue rapidly while maintaining a perfect swirl application.

Safer Usage: 

When combined with Timbond H509, this hot melt system is 100% solvent-free and releases zero emissions, which massively improves the safety levels of your work environment. As a result, the safer system also eliminates the need for spray booths, extraction or excessive PPE. 

Cost-Effective:

Timbond H509 arrives in batches of 14kg and 18kg pillows. Unlike a spray contact adhesive, which can result in overspray or become airborne, every portion of adhesive in the pillows is melted down in the hot melt machine and deposited where needed. This feature has an enormous impact on minimising waste and maximising cost efficiency.

Enjoy Flexible Machine Hire from Adkwik

Are you intrigued to see how this hot melt system could transform your manufacture of protective cases? Contact us today to discuss hiring a Meler B4 Hotmelt Machine. Whether you need it for a one-off project or to sit in your factory for the long term, we’ll arrange a plan to suit your needs.