Laminating Equipment
Laminating equipment provides the easiest, most inexpensive way to protect printed materials. Laminators place clear or opaque sheets of material over the paper or document to be protected. Many models come with special heat-sensitive settings so that the document is not damaged. Laminating equipment can enhance the look of printed materials as well by providing them with glossy or matte covers.Types of Laminating Equipment
Laminating equipment comes in a variety of different sizes. Laminating “pouches” are smaller units generally used for smaller jobs. These laminators can usually accommodate paper sizes between 4” and 13” wide and as narrow as 3/16” thick. Laminating pouches come in 1-sided or 2-sided pouch models. The 1-sided versions laminate only one side and provide a sturdy backing, while 2-sided models laminate both sides of a paper or picture, etc. The 2-sided models also generally seal the sides together.
Popular uses for 1-sided models include reports, books, publications and catalog covers, point-of-purchase (POP) displays, presentation folders, insurance and ID cards, and product labels. 2-sided machine applications include POP displays and insurance and ID cards, as well as posters, write-on/wipe-off wall calendars, maps and charts, menus and sell sheets.
Larger laminating models are used for a variety of purposes including laminating posters, prints, point of purchase signs, training aids, courtroom graphics, rigid or flexible signage and more. These machines are more heavy-duty and can weight anywhere from 80 pounds to 1500 pounds or more. Many of these bigger machines will laminate and mount materials as well, and the more advanced models can handle large numbers of materials at the same time.
Film Laminators
Film laminators are specifically designed to laminate film. Film tends to be both pressure sensitive as well as temperature sensitive, so the machines designed to laminate it are made to accommodate both needs.
What to Look for in a Laminating Machine
The type of laminating equipment that should be purchased depends entirely on the user's needs and budget. For larger projects, especially, some of the questions you'll want to consider include:
Does the machine come with pre-set temperatures and speeds?
These settings help make jobs quicker and more automatic.
How wide is the material you want to laminate?
Most laminators are capable of handling very narrow materials, but if the material you wish to laminate is rather wide, you'll have to make sure to purchase a laminator that allows for the material's width.
Does the laminator come with job memory settings?
This feature will be useful to you if you plan to use the laminator frequently for similar job types.
Is the information center easy to use and understand?
This prevents costly mistakes and re-dos.
What is the laminator's output speed like?
If you plan to use the laminator under high-capacity circumstances, make sure to pick a model that's capable of churning out pages at a good speed. (100 feet/minute is a very good output speed for high-end models used for personal use. Commercial laminators produce much higher outputs).