Laminating
is a process of applying a film to either one side or both sides of a
printed document. Lamination adds luster to a printed product. It
provides stability to the sheet, allowing it to be more durable.
Laminated documents are waterproof, tear proof, and tamper proof.
Laminated films provide both decorative appeal and protective
qualities. They are also designed to increase the life of printed
products. They give the printed products much longer shelf life and help
retain the pristine look of freshly printed work for longer.
Many of the films used for laminating are available in various
thickness and finishes ranging from clear gloss to delustered. The three
main film materials are:
- Polyester- The excellent combination of
optical, physical, mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of
the polyester films is driving the growth of the specialty films
market.
- Polypropylene- These are heat sealable films
for flexible packing and have high tensile strength. The film can
contain colorants, stabilizers, or other additives, and can be
coated for the improvement of performance properties.
- Nylon- Has excellent scratch resistance and
non-curling properties. They are widely used as book jackets.
Types of Laminated Films
Laminated films are of the following types:
- Pouch Laminating Films- Are like envelops
and are sealed on one edge. They come in many sizes to accommodate
standard items such as letterheads or business cards.
- Roll Laminating Films- Can consist of a
layer of film that is applied to the front side of the document or
it can be two layers of film in which the document is sandwiched
between the layers and sealed.
Roll Laminating Films are further classified into the following:
- Clear Laminating Films- Clear is an
everyday film that will adhere to most ink lay downs.
- Matte Laminating Films- Matte is a high
quality film that has a glare finish. It has a slightly granular
texture that is frosted to reduce glare.
- UV Laminating Films- It has an added
advantage of UV protection.
- Pressure Sensitive Laminating Films- The
film is applied by an adhesive rather than a glue. It does not
require heat.
Methods of Lamination
Thermal Lamination- Laminate usually consist of 2
plies with each ply made up of overlaminate film and an adhesive. The
document is placed between the two plies and passed through the
equipment where the dry adhesive is made tacky by heat. The adhesive is
then pressed onto the document under high pressure. After cooling, the
adhesive solidifies.
Cold Lamination- It is a process in which only one
side of the document is laminated. This lamination is done when the ink
or paper used for a document is too sensitive to heat. The surface of
the document is flooded with a water-soluble adhesive. It is then sent
through a set of rollers with the laminating film rolled onto the top of
the adhesive and the document. Pressure is applied to bond the film to
the document.
Laminated Films Applications
Laminated Films are used for wrapping posters, maps, calendars, food
labels, price tags, membership cards, business cards, placemats, badges,
covers, certificates and many other. They perform a wide range of
applications in industrial, food and agriculture industry. They are used
to make various packaging products like:
- Soft furniture overwrap
- High performance film for automatic horizontal packing of
horticulture goods
- Protective covers for furniture
- Over wrap for mobile
- Winter boat wrap
- Automatic packaging of foam cups
- Packaging of chicken, poultry and pork
- Packaging of soil, fertilizers, soil mix
- Food packaging laminates
- Pharma packaging materials
- Dairy packaging
- Laminated aluminum foils
- Aluminum sheets
Lamination films are used to manufacture various packaging products
like Blister packs, Packaging pouch, Aluminum laminated foil, Aluminum
laminated sheets, Packaging rolls, Packaging bags, Medical Packaging,
Industrial Packaging etc.
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