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3m IJ180 getting wrinkles on my GBC 3064 Laminator

waximoff

New Member
Hello everyone! I came here to my favorite place to see if anyone has had issues like this..

I always search around the forum before asking about an issue and I can see some people have had similar issues. It seems like the outsides of my print are being pulled into the center which causes a big perpendicular lump like a raised smile, ha. Eventually, I'm not smiling at the line of bubbles that appear. grrrrrr.

I've ran about 60 ft of material through the laminator without any problems and now I can't go 6 ft without scrapping the print.. I read people saying the pressures are uneven across the roll but it seems weird that it would just happen.

So the strange part... I walked over to my new Mimaki jv300 to reprint another piece and I noticed the EXACT same wrinkle on the material sitting on the platen! seems like too much of a coincidence to me.

I'm printing on 3m IJ180CV3, using the 3m profile in onyx.

The first pic is taken from exit of laminator, between the 2 sets of rollers. The second pic is the Vinyl coming off the printer.

Any ideas or suggestions?
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Christian @ 2CT Media

Active Member
Your downward pressure is too high... These are crowned rollers so the middle touches before the sides, if your pressure is too high it causes these stretches.
 

waximoff

New Member
Your downward pressure is too high... These are crowned rollers so the middle touches before the sides, if your pressure is too high it causes these stretches.
Thanks for the reply 2CT. I also thought pressure was an issue. I tried very high pressure as well as very low pressure.. same outcome. I had a GBC tech come out after I tried the pull test with 4 spaced strips of vinyl.. Turns out, my rollers are indeed crowned, but the opposite way. The outsides are hitting first. In the words of the tech "You're Sh** out of luck".
 

waximoff

New Member
Could it be humidity? Sometimes the liner paper can absorb moisture and warp.
I thought the same thing this morning Lindsey. Yesterday is was 94 and insanely humid. It seemed nice inside but I didn't have my humidity gauge here. I have it today and it's at 48%.
It turned out to be bad rollers though :/
 

jfiscus

Rap Master
Your laminator problem is the pressure is too high. Your printer problem is your humidity is to high.
 

waximoff

New Member
Your laminator problem is the pressure is too high. Your printer problem is your humidity is to high.

Thanks Jfiscus, I think you're right about the humidity on the printer, it is much better today. The Laminator however is doing that no matter how light I press the rollers.
 

AF

New Member
You may have luck finding a machine shop to turn the rollers. Or get them resleaved.

The pattern you are seeing in the material is known as boat wake. Try searching that term online for some possible cheap solutions.
 

jfiscus

Rap Master
I've never seen humidity cause an issue like this before, but possibly if your shop isn't climate controlled well then the roller on the laminator might be warped from the humidity? There might also be to much tension on the laminator?
 

waximoff

New Member
You may have luck finding a machine shop to turn the rollers. Or get them resleaved.

The pattern you are seeing in the material is known as boat wake. Try searching that term online for some possible cheap solutions.
Thanks AF, I'll try that.
 

waximoff

New Member
I've never seen humidity cause an issue like this before, but possibly if your shop isn't climate controlled well then the roller on the laminator might be warped from the humidity? There might also be to much tension on the laminator?
It's not a tension issue unfortunately. I took all the lamination off and am just trying to run vinyl through the rollers.
 

mkmie

Lost Soul
You may have luck finding a machine shop to turn the rollers. Or get them resleaved.

The pattern you are seeing in the material is known as boat wake. Try searching that term online for some possible cheap solutions.
How does one go about "re-sleaving". I am running Royal Sovereign but rollers seem similar. Having tension problems now. Parts on order but if the rollers are also involved would like to check out re-sleaving verses replacement.
 

waximoff

New Member
How does one go about "re-sleaving". I am running Royal Sovereign but rollers seem similar. Having tension problems now. Parts on order but if the rollers are also involved would like to check out re-sleaving verses replacement.

I actually just jumped on to ask about the same thing! I'll post it if I find anything out.
 
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