From Limitation to Advantage:

In dispensing industry, speed and uniformity of application are very important. They directly affect productivity, labor costs, and quality. This became clear when one of the leading adhesive manufacturers in the United States approached SOPI with a specific challenge related to 29 oz cartridges with integrated nozzles.

The customer was looking for a way to apply adhesive over a wider area using a multi-bead spreader. Their cartridges already featured integrated nozzles, but these nozzles offered no connection points for any spreader available on the market. As a result, users were limited to single-bead application, which significantly increased application time on large surfaces.

If the problem remained unsolved, the customer would be forced to accept longer application times and reduced efficiency, especially in large-area applications where multi-bead spreading is essential.

Development in the Nozzle Lab

The project was handled in SOPI’s Nozzle Lab. The Flip’n’Spread spreader was used as the foundation. Several adapter concepts were developed and evaluated during the initial design phase.

After narrowing down the options, the most promising design was produced using 3D printing. This allowed rapid testing with actual 29 oz cartridges and adhesive materials.

The final adapter design is conical. This shape allows the adapter to seal effectively on different integrated nozzle types, making the solution universal.

Instead of developing a completely new system, an existing adapter concept was refined and adjusted to meet the dimensional and functional requirements of 29 oz integrated nozzles and standard caulking guns.

Testing and Validation

Every newly developed product at SOPI is tested. Only after consistent performance was confirmed was the adapter approved for production. This process ensures not only functional reliability but also compliance with industry expectations for professional dispensing tools.

The Result

The final outcome is a 29 oz adapter designed specifically for cartridges with integrated nozzles, fully compatible with the Flip’n’Spread spreader.

Application time was reduced by approximately 80 percent compared to single-bead application through integrated nozzles. This translates directly into higher productivity and lower labor costs, without compromising application quality.

Although the project started as a customer-specific request, the solution is universal. The adapter fits all 29 oz cartridges with integrated nozzles and can be used with all 1K adhesives in this format.

Customer Feedback

The solution met expectations and delivered exactly what was needed in terms of performance, reliability, and efficiency.