Laminators

It's crucial that important documents in the workplace and at home are protected from spills, tears and stains. Lamination is a quick and easy way to add durability to your documents for long lasting protection. At Cromwell, we offer laminators by Fellowes®, Qconnect® and Swordfish®.

What are Laminators?

A laminator is a machine that adds a permanent layer of plastic on a document to provide long lasting protection to it. It makes the document water, stain, tear and grease resistant, perfect for frequent daily use.

When are laminators used?

Laminators are commonly used in offices and workshops to display important documents that employees need to know. Lamination is also ideal for ID cards, business cards and posters. Safety signs, warning signs, checklists and marketing pieces are often laminated to protect them and ensure they are ideal for use in various environments.

Considerations when choosing a laminator

• Document size - Certain laminators can work on multiple sizes of document, while others specialise in just one size. Ensure that the laminator you choose works on the size of document(s) that you intend to laminate.

• Warm up time - If you are intending to use the laminating machine on an industrial scale, to certain timescales and targets, it's crucial to choose a laminator with the quickest warm up time. This will ensure that the machine matches the levels of efficiency you need.

• One or two-sided lamination - Laminating machines sometimes vary between offering one or two-sided lamination, and often they offer both options. Consider whether you need to laminate one or both sides of a document when you choose a laminator.

Laminator jargon buster

We want to make it easy for you, so here are some key terms that will help you understand the range and applications a little better.

What is a micron?

The thickness of laminating pouches is most often measured in microns. 1 micron is 0.001 mm. Consider how thick you want the lamination to be on your documents by checking the micron thickness of the laminating pouches.

FAQs

Various products mention jam-free features. What does this mean?

Modern laminating machines often have anti-jam features to stop the document and pouch from becoming jammed in the machine and potentially causing damage. Such features include reverse functions, stop buttons and easy-lift lids.

How can I avoid air pockets and ripples in my laminate?

If the laminated document has waves or air pockets in it, the temperature of the machine is most likely too high. This could be due to the temperature setting or the rollers. For example, if the machine has been used a lot in one session, the rollers can heat up more than normal and lead to ripples. Lower the temperature or avoid prolonged use to ensure a smooth laminate.