Finding the right drum unloader for your hot melt application can be challenging. After all, most people don’t work
with melters every day—but at IMMCO, we do.
To give you an idea of what to look for in a hot melt drum melter, we’ve identified the questions to ask before buying. You’ll learn how to get the best overall value for your purchase and, if you keep reading, you’ll also discover the questions IMMCO asks before quoting a Uniflow® drum melter, and why we ask them.
KNOW YOUR PRIORITIES
When buying a hot melt drum melter, it’s important to first understand the priorities for your operation. There are many variables at play.
- Pump rate. When high pump rates are vital, our 40% faster guarantee earns its competitive edge.
- Material waste. Compared to other machines that leave 20-40 lbs in the drum, a Uniflow leaves just 2 lbs (or less).
- Lead time. We don’t charge extra for rush orders. Normally, we can ship our most popular machines in less than two weeks.
- Ease of operation. Options like a semi-automatic bleed/boost valve, power clamping, remote monitoring, and non-stick surfaces let you work smarter.
- Reliability. Our hot melt drum melters are robust; built for quality. Because they’re driven by gear pumps, there’s less maintenance and they deliver non-pulsing flow.
- Availability and cost of spare parts. IMMCO keeps an extensive inventory of components on hand, and most are available for same-day or next-day shipment. We offer some of the most cost-effective options on the market.
Remember, a drum unloader is integral to your hot melt application. If the melter stops, so does production. Our Uniflow® hot melt drum melters are well-known for their superior quality and fast pump rates.
Ready to request a quote for one of our machines? We’ll need to ask a few questions first.
HOT MELT DRUM MELTER: APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Providing a quote to an interested customer is an exciting part of our business. But first, we need to know a few details to help identify the right drum unloader.
Here are the main factors we consider:
- What’s the material being pumped? Ex. PSA or PUR.
- What’s the desired pump rate? Typically expressed in pounds per hour (PPH), this needs to be the instantaneous rate, not the average rate. For instance, if the production line calls for 100 PPH, but the drum unloader only operates 50% of the time, the desired pump rate is actually 200 PPH.
- What’s the product? Ex. Insulated glass, underground cable, flooring, etc.
- Is this a new application? Or is it replacing an existing drum unloader?
- What goes at the end of the hose? Sometimes this is obvious, and sometimes not. We need to understand your application and how you’ll be using the drum unloader to determine which hose-end components are necessary.
- What hose length is required?
- Are you using steel drums or fiber drums?
- Do you require continuous operation? Or can production stop for a quick 5-minute drum change?
- What is the timeframe for installation? This helps us understand how quickly we need to move. If you’re planning for next year, that’s fine. We need machine sales next year, too. If you want a unit ASAP, we’re ready to gear up to meet your request.
We understand buyers may not have all these details right at their fingertips. At IMMCO, our experts are ready and willing to help. Contact us; we’d be glad to walk through the requirements with you so we can put together an accurate quote.
REALIZE THAT PUMP RATES MATTER
We guarantee a Uniflow hot melt drum melter will pump adhesives at least 40% faster than your existing unloader. But that’s not why we ask about the pump rate.
We want to know your desired pump rate for three reasons:
- Find out if the pump rate is realistic with the material. If there’s any doubt, send us some of your material for a free pump rate test. That way you’ll know the exact melt rate and pump rate that’s achievable. We can also determine whether our High-Pressure Ram option offers a performance improvement.
- Size the optimal gear reducer. A motor should usually run at 50% of its top speed. Once we know the rate, we can pinpoint the best size for the motor’s gear reducer.
- Determine whether there’s a need for more than one machine. For a high-speed pump rate, we could consider a single Model 230H hydraulic unit or multiple Model 4230 pneumatic machines.
It shouldn’t hold up the quote if you don’t have a pump rate in mind. In general, we know how fast we can pump most materials. And the rate doesn’t affect pricing unless you’re deciding between a high-performance Model 230H or a low-cost Model 4230.
It only takes a ten-minute phone conversation to get enough information to quote. After that, we can send you pricing within a day.
HOT MELT DRUM MELTER: OPTIONS 
When you order a drum melter, we can quote a range of options tailored to your application. For instance, these are our two most popular upgrades:
Semi-Automatic Bleed/Boost. Performing the bleed and boost from a touchscreen improves safety and productivity—there’s no reaching inside the hot drum to adjust valves. And it can automatically boost to a park position at the top of the drum to reduce change time.
Non-Stick Platen Coating. We strongly recommend coating the platen for PUR applications, as it makes clean-up so much easier.
And that’s not all. We offer many other hot melt drum melter options that add value to your application.
TEST OUT YOUR HOT MELT DRUM MELTER
At IMMCO, we know results matter most. We can prove the value of a Uniflow, and help take the guesswork out of purchase justification, with free testing at our facility in Virginia.
