Looking To Laminate?

Not only does lamination protect your printed work, it gives a professional look to your posters, displays and trade show materials.

by CHRIS BAUER

TWO OF the hottest industry trends—wide-format and on-demand printing—are also two of the markets laminating equipment companies are looking at to bolster sales.

In the wide-format realm, says Adam Horwitz, product manager for General Binding Corp., lamination improves jobs like posters, point-of-purchase displays and training materials. In-plants that purchase wide-format printers, he says, should also get laminators.

"If they don't purchase a laminator, their prints won't have the longevity," Horwitz says. "If you look at a laminated print, it gives more of a professional image. If you take something to a trade show or put it in a retail store without being laminated, it would be like putting out an unprofessional item."

Now is a good time to invest in a laminator, he adds, since prices in both wide-format printers and laminating equipment are coming down. Also, films are getting easier to use now that low-melt products have hit the market.

Horwitz offers two tips to in-plant managers looking to add a laminator.

• Look for a product with a wide-diameter roller to allow flatter output.

• Clearer images can be obtained with heated rollers.

Sealing The Deal

New from Banner American Products are the Finisher 4300 and 6300 Series laminators. The 4300 laminates work up to 43˝, while the 6300 laminates jobs up to 63˝. Both will thermally laminate both sides of wide-format work—simultaneously mounting and laminating on board of up to 1⁄2˝. The optional release liner take-up assembly allows one-sided laminating with pressure-sensitive films. Heated rollers, complimented by Banner's RollerShoe heat shoes, provide fast warm-up times.

From D&K Group comes the 3210, which features an advanced NT roller to provide heat consistency and accuracy. Production speeds reach up to 100 feet per minute. The new 3210 separator features advanced positioning and overlap sensing systems, enabling complete sheet separating without bursting.

For wide-format jobs, GBC offers the Falcon 60+. It will laminate, encapsulate and mount ink-jet and photographic images up to 62˝ wide. The Falcon 60+ is bi-directional, allowing hot and cold jobs to be run consecutively. Once the print has entered the nip rollers, the operator can control the speed using a new digital accelerator foot switch. The new ORBIT 2000 is a one-sided, electric-heated laminator with a built-in feeder and separator.

The Image 410 from Hunt Graphics is a 42˝ version of the Image 400 series. It has a dual-heat system, enabling top and bottom encapsulation in a single pass. Designed for medium-volume usage (5 to 20 prints per day), the Image 410 can laminate a range of applications, including rigid and flexible indoor and outdoor displays, floor graphics and backlit displays. It features a 46˝ roll face, a new control panel and a small footprint to save space.

Ledco has released new versions of its Digital 42 and Digital 60 laminators, designed for finishing ink-jet and wide-format color work. They will laminate and mount hot or cold, and will simultaneously mount and laminate in a single pass. Both new models feature an improved feed tray and feed system, larger supply roll tension knobs and more accurate digital temperature controls. The units come with an instructional video.

The Premier 4 laminator from Spiral Binding Co. laminates up to 10 feet per minute. Its digital thermometer and temperature control simplify setting and maintaining the correct temperature. A supply roll tension control assures wrinkle-free laminating. The Premier 4 has adjustable left and right feed guides and a reverse control to quickly clear misfeeds. Precision slitters automatically trim side scrap from sheets to save time.

Find Out More

Ledco has added a laminator selection guide to its Web site, providing details on different laminators and the features needed for specific jobs. An interactive flow chart helps answer questions for prospective customers. Visit Ledco at www.ledcoinc.com.