Lamination
troubleshooting

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• 4 roller laminators always provide a more uniform, professional lamination than 2 roller machines.


• Typically, a lower temperature setting is needed for lighter weight films or thin substrates (example: newspapers). The heavier the film weight or the thicker the substrate, the more heat required for perfect lamination.


• Clouding and "orange peel" are two common occurrences in pouch laminating. Clouding is the result of not using enough heat in the lamination process-"orange peel" is a result of too much heat. By following this simple chart you can virtually eliminate clouding and "orange peel".
  
  
  

  Microns	Mil	1000th of an inch	HEAT SETTING
  37	1.5 mil film	0.0015"	low heat
  75	3 mil film	0.003"	low-med heat
  125	5 mil film	0.005"	med heat
  175	7 mil film	0.007"	med-high heat
  250	10 mil film	0.010"	high heat.

  [ Temperature Settings ][ Blistering ]
  
  
• For professional results from a 2 roller pouch laminator always:
  
  • Remember to use a high quality carrier to ensure even heat distribution and added pressure.
  • Feed documents into the pouch laminator slowly until the rear rollers grab.



• When warming up your machine, allow rollers to contact and turn together for even heat distribution. This will prevent the rollers having "cool spots" on them which could lead to less than adequate lamination results. At day's end, residual adhesive should be cleaned from the silicone rollers. Adhesive allowed to "soak in" can permanently damage the rollers. Allow the rollers to cool, and then clean with an isopropyl alcohol: other solvents may damage rollers.

• Laminating pouch film is defined by a ratio. The first number represents the polyester content and the second represents the adhesive content.
  
  Example: 5 mil film.
  One composition is 3/2 and the other is 1/4. The 3/2 film will feel stiffer than the 1/4 film because of the greater polyester content. The 1/4 film, because of the extra adhesive, will eliminate gapping when laminating thicker items, such as oak tag.
  
  
• The higher the mil weight-the stiffer, more rigid the laminated item will be.
  
  
• When choosing a pouch remember that a 1/8' border of film is recommended for items smaller than 6" X 9" and a 1/4" border of film is recommended for items 6" X 9" and larger. This extra border ensures that the item receives the proper seal.
  
  

Common Terms and Corrections:

Correct threading of your roll laminator is crucial to achieving professional results. Improper threading and incorrect tension settings can lead to creases, wrinkles, and over all poor lamination. Always follow the threading diagram provided in the owners manual, and make sure the tension is set just tight enough to allow the film to glide across the heat shoes without any wrinkles.

The industry term "orange peel" refers to the very fine wrinkles or waves in the laminate. This is a common condition of using too much heat. Simply adjust the temperature to a lower setting. NOTE: A quick fix can be to speed up the laminator. As the film runs across the heat shoes at greater speeds, the actual "film" temperature is reduced.

Foggy, Milky, or Cloudy films are usually clear signs that you are not using enough heat. Check for the proper activation temperature for the film and ensure the laminator is set correctly.

This is a common occurrence for beginners. When loading film, always make sure that it clearly exits the rollers. Some lighter weight films have the tendency (aided greatly by the static being generated) to curl back towards the rear rollers. The film can then begin to wrap around the rear rollers. To alleviate this problem, put the laminator in reverse and gently pull the wrapped film off the rear rollers. To prevent wrap around, you can laminate all your documents using a continuous feed. The weight will hold the laminations away from the rear rollers or you may leave a few inches of extra film, as the weight will not allow the static to pull the film back into the rollers.

The use of a carrier is a crucial step in pouch lamination. Not only does the carrier allow for greater pressure to be exerted on to the document, it also protects the laminator, prolonging it's life. A carrier is a folded piece of cardboard with a non-stick coating on one side, that is used in the lamination process to protect you laminator. The carrier absorbs the excess adhesive that may escape from the pouch during the pressure cycle of the process. This excess adhesive is harmful to your laminator and by not using a carrier it can considerably reduce the unit's overall life cycle. The carrier also provides additional pressure during the lamination process, providing more professional looking end results.

Each film mil weight requires a unique temperature setting for the best possible results. Always remember when finding the right temperature, start off with a low setting. This way the document can be re-laminated until desired results have been achieved.

For the best results on odd shapes and sizes, pre-trim the pouches to leave a 1/8" border around the document. This allows for better edge seal and will not allow for the open space areas to pool.

Mil:

The mil weight is expressed per side, therefore, the weight of the film has to be doubled.
Example:

A 3 mil pouch has two sheets of 3 mil film plus your document (regular bond paper is 4 mil) for a total aggregate of 10 mil.

Discoloration or Silvering:

This happens when finished print looks as if it has become metallic and has bubbles in it, the colors do not come through correctly. The bubbling happened because the adhesive didn't bond the film to the item. Incorrect nip pressure and insufficient heat cause this to occur by rollers not being calibrated left to right, causing incorrect pressure between the film and the item. This can also happen when the film covered item is pulled through the rollers too quickly, not allowing the adhesive to bond.

When the tension is off one side of the film as it is bonding to the item changes sizes, becomes unproportional with the other side of film. The item will roll/curl in with the short side. This can also be caused by too much pressure or selecting the wrong materials. To prevent this make sure the tension and pressure are correct with the item to be bonded and the film selection for that item.

This occurs by the natural moisture in the item makes the item swell near the printing. When the rollers heat up the moisture is dried out, but the areas that swelled up distort the item from laying flat. This can be caused by not enough tension, and uneven pressure from the silicone coating on the rollers across the nib.

When too much pressure is exerted on the item when it goes through the rollers on the way out of the laminator while the film is still hot. To prevent this make sure the pressure is at the proper ratio of speed for the pull and front rollers. Make sure film has some way to cool off such as a cooling fan or a chill roller.

This is boiling moisture on the item while going through the rollers. To understand this you need to remember all items have natural moisture, and water boils at 212 degrees. If you have the heat up too high (over 260 degrees) the chances are greater however even if you are using 225 degrees a natural moisture spot can heat up to 250 or 260 degrees causing it to over heat and boil. This can be caused by running heat sensitive items through the laminator such as a photograph. To prevent this do not let the active rollers sit stationary for a long time or use low melt-point heat activated or pressure-sensitive film to keep the rollers from getting to hot.
REMEMBER NEVER PUT THE TEMPERATURE ABOVE 350 DEGREES!!!