Laminator : What is it?
| A laminator is a home and office machine designed to seal documents in thin, solid plastic pouches for durability, waterproofing, and excellent protection from dust, dirt, and frequent use. It is commonly used for identification cards, display cards, certificates, public announcements, and other important documents. A laminator is also used to preserve historical documents and protect them from aging.
The laminator needs to be warmed up before the lamination process can begin. While it is being preheated, the document to be laminated should be placed between the plastic pouches, sheets, or films. The document is placed inside once the machine is ready. The laminator should be closed for a few seconds to allow the plastic to fuse, completing the lamination process. |
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Kinds of Laminators include the following: |
Laminating types
Hot laminator
- A hot laminator is the most commonly used laminator. It is used in most offices, schools, and laminating shops.
- It uses heat to laminate documents, usually from 200 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- It provides high quality lamination that is resistant to wear and tear and other damages.
- It is used to laminate a wide range of items including ID cards, paper documents, and certificates.
Cold laminator
- A cold laminator uses sensitive adhesives to bind lamination film.
- It is used for materials that are too sensitive to heat such as heat sensitive paper or documents printed using ink jet printers.
- It is commonly used to laminate photographs, as they are sensitive to high temperatures.
Material types
Pouch laminator
- A pouch laminator is designed with pockets of laminating material that hold the item to be laminated.
- It uses heat to seal the pouch and bind the layers of laminating materials.
- It produces excess materials that should be trimmed off.
- It is sleek, lightweight, and portable.
- It comes in different sizes and thicknesses, usually ranging from three to 10 millimeters.
- Thicker models are more durable. They also produce stiffer laminated items.
Film or roll laminator
- A film or roll laminator uses film or rolls of laminating materials.
- It normally uses the cold laminating process, as most of the films available today are sensitive to heat. The films used with this type of laminator is called “low melt” films.
- It is commonly used to laminate photographs and other materials that require less heat.
- It allows the lamination of one or both sides. Single-sided lamination is often done for materials to be mounted on walls or backing boards.
- It is heavier and bulkier than a pouch lamintaor.
- It comes in different finishes, designs, sizes, and thicknesses.
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Laminating size: For efficiency and flexibility, choose an A3 laminator or a bigger model that allows you to laminate several items at once in sizes A3 and below.
Item materials: If you intend to laminate items in varying thicknesses or rigidity, look for a lamanitor with a high specification that can handle 500 micron pouches. This type of laminator allows you to use for laminating
cardboards and thick paper.
Reverse function: Choose a laminator with a reverse function that allows you to extract a pouch or a film when it gets stuck or if the lamination process goes wrong. |
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