• Phone217.324.6529
  • Address1400 West Hudson Drive | Litchfield, Illinois | 62056
  • Phone217.324.6529
  • Address1400 West Hudson Drive | Litchfield, Illinois | 62056

Gartech Glue System

Showing the recommended glue coverage on a Gartech Glue Wheel.

Since our first Stand Alone Glue System was installed in 1992, the technical services department of Gartech has researched and implemented ways to make our glue units more effective, more reliable, and more beneficial to the user. The current Gartech Glue System is our most reliable system to date, offering dual-speed monitoring, advanced wash-up, touch-screen interfaces, color-coded lines, and zero energy technology to complement the use of our glue wheels and glue shoes. We’ve also reduced the size of our housing for optimum placement in a wider range of equipment. This combination of sound manufacturing and improved functionality back-up the Gartech Stand Alone Glue System’s “guaranteed gluing” commitment. We also guarantee our system the highest quality in our components.


As for gluing the tab, we offer a wide range of glue shoes and glue wheels. At present, we’ve glued tabs on corrugated boxes ranging from 3/16″ to 5″ in width. Need something special? We’ll work with you to achieve any size you need. Visit our Product Line page for an overview of the equipment that runs our glue system.

If you’re already using a Glue System, we want to be sure you’re aware of other benefits we offer. Please scroll down for a list of upgrades, add-ons, and additional services available to all of our customers. Need a refresher? Check out our Tips & Techniques section for helpful hints or contact us by email to let us help.


For a closer look at the Gartech Glue System, please see this article in our Tips & Techniques section. To read other important information related to your glue system, please keep scrolling down. Thank you!


Showing a properly machined, metered Gartech Glue Shoe and Glue Wheel.

Shoe & Wheel Redresses

We cannot stress the importance of this enough. For a cost of around 25% the price of a new glue shoe, you can send your worn glue shoes (like the one below) and glue wheels back to Gartech for our Redress Service. Depending on how much damage the working surface has sustained, we can re-machine these components to “like new” condition. The shoe on the right (below) has been redressed. The best part? Most shoes can be redressed as many as five times, depending on their condition when we receive them. Not only does this improve the performance, but it saves your plant money by not needing to buy a new shoe each time.

We do limit the number of times a wheel receives redress, as the diameter and circumference decrease each time. Under normal conditions, we offer two redresses to a wheel. Again, that saves you the cost of purchasing a new wheel each time one becomes worn, gets hit with a tool, or suffers unforeseen mayhem.

Not sure it can be redressed? Email us a pic! We’re always happy to assist, and don’t want to see our customers throwing money away. Many shoes come in with the protective teeth worn off. We can still redress the shoes, re-cut the teeth, and even replace the metering plate, bolt sleeve, or fittings.


Note: We do not sell metering plates as individual parts anymore. This works against the quality and precision of both the shoe and the Gartech system. Plus, a redress costs less than a metering plate in most instances, making it cost-effective to send the entire shoe to us for re-machining.


Notice the uneven pattern and uneven edges on the worn shoe.
A Glue Shoe with moderate wear on the left versus a Glue Shoe once it’s received a redress.

Panel Upgrades

Speed-Monitoring Upgrade

Using dual-encoder technology, this upgrade allows our customers to see how well the glue system matches the speed of the equipment it’s mounted on.

Offering full-color, illustrated touch screens, user-friendly settings, and the capacity to monitor run history, wheel-to-box speed, and wash-up maintenance, our most-advanced system offers peace of mind at the push of a button without the hassle of setting speed cards.

Touchscreen Upgrade

Given technology’s rapid change, even one-time “go-to” products have become obsolete. As of 2017, we can no longer offer replacements on this user interface.

To replace this interface, please contact us for a quote on an HMI Conversion Kit; a full-color touchscreen interface that can be fitted to your existing panel by your facility’s skilled maintenance department.

This option is not available on Aromat panels.

DC – to – AC Upgrade

We discontinued DC-series glue systems in 2004, but offer quality upgrades to keep them competitive with our modern equipment. With a package that includes a new control panel, a new drive motor, and all the various sub-components required, our technicians or your plant’s maintenance department can easily enhance your system. This change brings with it a robust design, stable performance of components, a better motor, and fewer maintenance concerns.

We discuss these upgrades more in our Tips & Techniques entry, “Why Upgrade Your Gartech Glue System?”


Pressure Wheels

As beneficial to some of our users as a redress, this option is attractive for customers who tend to glue from one wheel. This option lets the opposite glue wheel be stored in inventory as a backup, while the pressure wheel fulfills the role of supporting the functional glue wheel. They are sold at a fraction of the cost, are machined to the same precision, and fully support the width of the glue wheel. At present, we offer these wheels in working surface widths ranging from 3/16″ up to 5″ — just like our glue shoes and glue wheels.


Add-ons

Gartech offers a wide range of pressure wheels, drain pans, and guards for your current–or somewhat outdated–system, as well as protective holders and quick-release hose fittings for glue shoes. We also offer upgrades to solenoids, ball valves, limit switches, air cylinders and a zero-energy, air-dump upgrade that is standard on all panels since 2014.

Get the most out of your Gartech Glue System.
Photos of the add-on guards, pan, shoe box protectors, and complete control stand.

Note: We do not encourage anyone to enter the machine while it’s operational. The guards are not a way to get around your plant’s safety program.


Color-Coded Tubing

One simple upgrade we’ve made to our system is the use of color-coded tubing for air and water. This cuts down on the confusion of troubleshooting connections and adds to the ease of letting your facility’s maintenance department handle upgrades and basic service.

Upgrade to a color-coded system for easier maintenance.
Photos of the GAR-GU-0103B Gartech Glue Manifold with colorized legend and the color-coded connections on the GAR-GU2-0102 Pneumatic Panel.

Recommended Glue Formulas

While we know every plant has its preferred vendor, preferred formula, and protocols, there is one formula developed by Henkel for optimum performance with the Gartech Glue System. This is a proven formula, workable across flexo lines, tab sizes, and box speeds. For more information on formulas, we encourage you to contact Henkel.


Glue System Manual

These full-color illustrated manuals cost $35 in print and $50 in digital format.

Every housing is marked with a specific serial number that lets us identify and troubleshoot your glue system. The number is found engraved on the glue housing above the upper glue wheel, or on an adhesive plate fitted to the cover near the motor on the glue housing.

Request A Manual

After we’ve received your request, we’ll verify the information and issue a formal quote for your manual along with pricing and delivery options. We verify that every system ships with a manual in a booklet or CD-ROM format. Due to this, we will not issue free manuals.