For many people, the glue sticks and glue guns they buy at their local hobby or hardware store are an introduction to hot-melt adhesives—but these products are only a small glimpse of what is possible in the world of hot melts. “Hot melt” does not describe a single, specific adhesive, but rather a variety of different adhesives that are all melted and applied with heat.
Everyone—from a one-person assembly shop to major corporations—can use hot-melt adhesives. Hot-melt setups can vary from an individual applying adhesive with a basic hand-held glue gun costing less than $160, to high-speed automatic machinery costing hundreds of thousands of dollars capable of applying hot melt to thousands of pieces per hour (see Figure 1). A huge range of options exist when it comes to the available types of hot-melt adhesives, as well as equipment and application protocols.