The majority of offices, schools and commercial premises in the UK use laminate technology primarily to protect and embellish key documents for presentation and display purposes, but it is also possible to laminate many other types of documents (as well as non-paper items and surfaces).
Lamination typically involves attaching a plastic cover or wrapper to the paperwork. This is normally to protect it from damage and ensure it remains in good condition for longer. The document's plastic coating can also enhance colour and improve presentability. In addition, it provides a wipe-clean surface for use with dry-wipe pens.
Many types of laminate machines are available nowadays. These machines range from small, inexpensive desktop models for office use to more costly, extensive industrial varieties. Top-of-the-range machines typically accommodate a wide variety of document sizes and temperature settings. They may also include multiple sets of rollers for a perfect finish in applications where quality is key.
In general, the majority of laminating machines fall into three main categories:
- Film Laminators - The top layer of these laminators is incorporated into the laminator mechanism itself, so they use two separate layers of laminating film. A bottom layer of film is placed on the items and they are fed into the machine. Hot rollers align and press down the top layer as they pass through the machine. Many (or even larger format) items need to be processed quickly in large-scale production environments and this type of laminator is often the most flexible
- Pouch Laminators - This is the most commonly used type of desktop-type laminating machine on a day-to-day basis, and it can be found in a wide range of standard office environments. Prior to feeding a document into a clear plastic pouch or wallet lined with adhesive, pouch laminators must be heated to optimal temperatures. The sealed cover is then formed by pressing the two together under hot rollers
- Cold Laminators - Non-heated cold laminators are ideal for laminating sensitive items that cannot be exposed to high temperatures during the lamination process, such as vinyl, carbon copies, and certain types of photographs. They work by using pressure to seal an adhesive plastic pouch or film around the item. However, these machines are typically smaller and less expensive, and the pouches used can be significantly more expensive than those for hot laminators
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the more common types of machines, lamination pouches and accessories available from UK suppliers. We’ll help you decide what to look for in a laminator, and choose which sorts might be the most useful across a range of particular applications, environments and workloads.