Squealing is usually eliminated by reducing the supply roll tension and/or speeding up the machine.
Bubbles can be caused by lack of supply roll tension, the film is not threaded correctly, if the temperature is too low, or if the laminating rollers are open.
Bubbles on the leading edge of the sheet being laminated is characteristic of what happens when the item is pushed into the nip faster than the speed of the laminator. Bubbles can be captured in the same manner when the back of the item is lifted off the feed tray or when the item is pushed too quickly as it is being fed.
If you see serious wrinkling on both sides of both film and paper, the laminating rollers probably need to be closed and locked. Check you roller opening/closing controls.
The film will wrinkle if there is not enough supply roll tension. Any laminator needs a certain amount of resistance to the unwinding of the supply rolls so that the film lays flat as it goes into the rollers.
Helpful hint:
A. Make sure the film path is correct for both top and bottom webs.
B. Make sure the film is threaded around both the top and bottom idlers.
C. Make sure the machine is up to temperature.
IF the top roll of film looks fine, but the bottom shows alot of bubbles and wrinkles, the bottom
idler is probably NOT threaded. (refer to the threading guide page in your manual)
When trimming laminated pieces, leave a 1/8" edge around the article to help prevent moisture from getting into the piece and maintains a good seal around the material, so it will not come apart. Flush cut items tend to do this.
- Rotary Trimmer
- Zippy Knife
- Scissor
- Craft knife
Heat wrinkles are formed when the film has not cooled enough before coming out the back of the machine. For the best results, film should be cooled below melt temperature while it is pulled tight and perfectly flat between the rollers and the pull rollers. The major reason for fans on a laminator is to cool the film, not to cool the machine.
If the film curls up or down after it leaves the machine, review your manual for a section on the film tension, and readjust the film tension on the top or bottom. If the tension appears balanced but you notice waves or ripples toward the center of the web film as it comes out the back, the temperature may be too high or the lamination speed may be too fast for that film. These waves in the film are called "heat wrinkles."
UV film is specifically made for billboard and side of bus advertising. It will retain both the color and ink 3-5 years longer, then if you used the typical standard film without UV coating.
Film can be used for outdoor or in heavy sun exposure.
We offer a laminator cleaning kit, to help care for your pouch laminator, check it out here: Laminator Cleaning Kit.
Apply the denatured alcohol OR mild soapy water to a mildly abrasive cleaning pad, such as a 3M WHITE Scotch Brite, and gently rub the rollers until the adhesive is removed. Be careful not to damage the roller by rubbing too hard. When the adhesive has been removed wipe the roller clean with the lint free cloth. Please do not use exacto blades or straight edges to clean your rollers.
Rubber Roll Cleaning Erasers are used to remove excess adhesive on the roller for thermal roll laminators. Simply rub the specially designed erasers on the built up adhesive on your laminators rollers and watch the adhesive disappear, no chemicals required!
*always refer to the manual for this process*
A premium grade, low melt, aggresive adhesive film used for specialty items. Film runs at a lower temperature.
Because of the higher glue factor.
Refer to your Roll Laminator manual:
General Purpose Film: 1.5 mil 290-315 degrees
3 mil 275-300 degrees
Premium Film (Low melt):
1.7 mil 220-270 degrees
3 mil 220-270 degrees
5 mil 240-275 degrees
10 mil 220-260 degrees
1/8 inch
1.5 mil is 1000' rolls and 3 mil is 500' rolls.
Heat shoes are an electrically-heated cylinder-shaped "shoe" with a heating element inside, which the film is pulled across and the rollers apply pressure.
Heated rollers utilize a heating element which is embedded in the center of two nip rollers; the film is heated as it comes around the nip roller.
The rollers apply both heat and pressure to the film. Heated-rollers typically offer a slightly better bond than heat shoes. Heat rollers will often increase the bond strength on digital prints.