What is Hot Melt Graveure or “Dot” Lamination?
Hot Melt Graveure or “Dot” lamination uses an exact pattern of microscopic “dots” of adhesive on the surface of one web of material to bond that web to another web of material and form a composite. The materials joined can be the same material or entirely different types of materials, such as nonwovens, films, fabrics, or already made composites. This is called a Graveure process because it is similar to the rotograveure printing process. In rotograveure, pictures, designs and words are engraved into the printing cylinder. The cylinder picks up ink as it rotates and deposits the ink on the paper web (for example) as the paper passes against the cylinder. In the “Dot” or Hot Melt Graveure process, adhesive is in a heated trough until the right viscosity. As the rotating graveure roll contacts the trough, the cavities on the roll are filled with adhesive. A doctor blade seals the trough towards the engraved roll and cleans the surface of the latter, so that adhesive is only applied in th
