Laminating Equipment Guide
Increase your understanding and knowledge about laminators, lamination equipment, and the proper uses of both. In this lamination equipment guide, we will answer your questions like why you need to laminate, some things to consider before purchasing a laminator, and what are the different types of laminators.
Why Laminate?
Things to consider before purchasing a laminator.There are may factors you will want to consider before purchasing a laminator. You will want to keep in mind not only what you will laminate now, but what you may need to laminate in the future.What kind of volume will you be working with? Before you pick a laminator you will want to take into consideration how many items you will have to laminate per day/per hour. Some laminators will laminate faster than others and provide better quality. What size and thickness will you be working with? Laminators come in various sizes. Some pouch laminators have limitations of 4”, whereas other pouch laminators can laminate up to 18” wide. Lamination film comes in different sizes and thickness. Thinner lamination film is pliable and easy to move, whereas thicker lamination film is tough and hard to bend. Some laminators cannot use lamination over a certain thickness. Do you want your document to last a long time? Different types of lamination film will allow your documents to last longer. If the duration of your laminated document is not an issue, a less expensive lamination film can be used. If a document needs to last a long time you may want to use a thicker lamination film, acid-free film and/or UV film. What will you be laminating? Some laminators work better with different products. Some pouch laminators work better with photographs. Some laminators cannot laminate anything thicker than standard paper, whereas other laminators can laminate products up to 1/2” thick. Is space/mobility an issue? Some laminators are bigger and take up more space. Pouch laminators, in most cases, are easy to pick up and move around. What are the different types of lamination/film?
Pouch LaminatorsPouch laminators are the most poplar laminator on the market. The ease of use and mobility make the pouch laminator a best seller. Pouch laminators come in different shapes and sizes. The most common sizes are usually 4” and 12” laminators.  Pouch laminators use a lamination pouch that is usually sealed on one side. The inside of the lamination pouch is coated with a heat-activated film that sticks to the product being laminated as it runs through the laminator.Pouch Laminator Film "You will want to know what your application will be before choosing a lamination film." There are several different types of film. You will want to know what your application will be before choosing a lamination film.
Pouch lamination can be purchased in five mil, seven mil or ten mil. five mil is very pliable, where the 10 mil is very tough and rigid. Be sure to place lamination film in a carrier before putting it through a laminator. The carrier looks like poster board, but is glossy on the inside. The carrier prevents excess lamination glue from getting on your rollers. GlossaryCarrier - Lamination pouches are placed in a carrier. The carrier looks like poster board, but is glossy on the inside. The carrier prevents excess lamination glue from getting on your rollers.Hot Lamination - Lamination is done with heat. Heat activates the lamination film causing it to attach to the product being laminated. Matte Film - Matte pouches have a slightly granular, frosted texture to reduce glare. Due to their texture, these pouches will accept pencil, pen, marker, and reduce smudging. Excellent for both indoor and outdoor applications. Mil Thickness - The thickness of lamination film is known as the mil thickness (thousandths of an inch). Pressure Sensitive Pouch - Pressure-Sensitive Pouches have a sticky backing. After a Pressure-Sensitive Pouch has been passed through a laminator, the back can be pealed off and stuck to a surface. Select Pouch Film - Select Film is U.S.-made lamination film. Usually considered the best quality, Select Film costs more than the Standard Clear Film. Standard Clear Pouch Film - Standard Clear Film is the most common form of film used for lamination. Standard Film is imported from overseas, which is why the cost of standard clear film is usually less than the U.S.-made Select Film. The quality in the past was poorer than Select Film, but is now about the same. UV/UL Pouches - UV/UL Pouches are usually used for outdoor lamination. The UV/UL Pouches are able to filter out harmful UV/UL rays from the sun, which cause fading. |
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