Page 30 - Print21 May-June 2020

Wide Format Printing
How to pick
a laminator
John Buitenkamp at industry supplier Starleaton says he often hears the same question from potential customers: “If laminators are in fact just two rollers and a motor, why are some of them more expensive than others?” The answer is simple: They are just like cars. All of them have four wheels and a motor, but the price difference can be significant, and for good reason.
Everybody recognises there are big differences between a Mercedes, a Škoda, and
a Hyundai, although all
of these cars will take you from A to B. However, the difference
between laminating machines is
not visible from the outside, which can make it difficult to pick the right model. Similar to when you are trying to decide whether you need
a van, or perhaps a small pick-up truck, for your company.
Many of the machines on
the market are presented as a “professional tool for an affordable price”. Nevertheless, the expression “professional” has many different meanings when referring to laminators. Similarly, all Mercedes, Škoda, and Hyundai vehicles are manufactured in a professional way, but the differences are big.
So, how do you pick the right laminating machine for your company? What are the differences? How do you differentiate between marketing spin and recommended features? The following points will help you find the most suitable laminating machine for your business.
Wish list
First, you should create a list of the applications you would like to process on the future machine. You should
be as specific about your needs as possible. All these applications should be written down in detail, including the specific materials. In addition, non-standard projects should be kept in mind. Every good supplier should be able to explain what is and what is not realistic to the end user.
30 Print21 MAY/JUNE 2020
Above
Laminators: Make sure you know what you are buying
Demonstration
The laminating machine is a manually operated instrument, and therefore, even before your purchase, a physical presentation is needed.
A technical data sheet gives vital information, but without touching the machine, it means nothing. To use the car analogy, the laminator operator does not buy a car based
on a brochure alone. A test drive is necessary.
What to focus on
Rollers
Rollers are the most important part of a laminator. Their properties and behaviour have a crucial influence on operator efficiency and the final product quality. You have to check the diameter – as a general rule:
the bigger the better. Rollers with
a bigger diameter are often better because they bend less, provide equal pressure and during operation apply less tension on the laminating film. Less tension on the laminating film is beneficial, especially when working with cast vinyls or standard laminating films, together with heat assistance.
A laminator with a bigger roller diameter has a positive impact on the possible amount of shrinkage of the over-stretched laminating film at the latter stage. This shrinkage, caused by over-stretching during the laminating process, usually leads to bleed at the end of a graphic. It can also lead to the laminated boards bending, lifting corners and edges
of the graphic or lifting the graphic from the corrugations, for example when wrapping cars.
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