laminating issues - Boat Waking

[PrintQueen]

We are experiencing a new issue on our Kala laminator and wondering if anyone is familiar with fixes. I’ve attached a video showing the issue for reference.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pw4avxs0pxk7gyy/VID_20200813_093912.mp4?dl=0

Essentially what we’re experiencing is our long laminated prints begin to create a V shape on the printed material we are feeding in. After a long enough time, the V create a buckle and an air gap. Here are the things we’ve already tried:

• New setup of laminator roll and material
• Let material sit overnight
• Cut the printed feed material in a bowed in and out shape
• Feed both by hand and from the feed roller
• Use with and without the takup roll
• Adjust tension on the laminator supply roller

I did some research and saw a term called “Boat Waking” that is relatively common. It would seem like the outer parts of the rollers are pulling at different pressure/rate than the center section.

Any ideas on how to get this fixed? I know there's another tension knob on the roll of laminate -- is this the culprit? Should these adjustments be made as I'm running material through and starting to experience the wave forming?

 

[jfiscus]

Too much roller pressure is where I see this. Usually loosening the rollers to proper pressure fixes it.

 

[iPrintStuff]

I’ve been trying a new thing recently (with great results) where I tape the loaded roll to an actual roller instead of the old stuff that’s in there. Tape centre first then a bit at each end. Pulls it though perfectly straight.

just gotta watch out for it staying on the roller once it comes through them. (You don’t want it to start just wrapping round the roller) Poke the bit tape off and off you go. Been lamming full 50m rolls with about 1.5mm tolerances.

 

[MikePatterson]

Like was already stated too much pressure. Those small rollers will bow when you crank down on them.

 

[iPrintStuff]

If you run heat assist and leave the lam on the roller for a min or two before starting you won’t need nearly as much pressure as you think

 

[MikePro]

at first glance, i want to say that your nip pressure is waaaaaay too high or your initial setup is slightly out of square.

i usually compensate for potential issues like this by increasing the print media roll/feed tension, but not the laminate roll/web tension which would cause the overlaminate to stretch. Also, for long-runs, I put on a pair of white cotton/lint-free gloves and "wax-on, wax-off" as the laminator runs: sweeping my hands from center>outward as to keep the print material flat & tension/buckling flowing outward.

Whenever i notice the buckling start to happen, even in the slightest, I'll pause my lamination to decrease my nip pressure to almost zero, run it for an inch, and then dial it back up. possibly even continue running it at a sliightly lower pressure than before.

 

[iPrintStuff]

This is how we load our laminate. No tension required at all.

 

[greysquirrel]

when loading, have release line secured to pealer roller(center tape only) open nip(distance between the rollers all the way. Peal laminate away from liner(while manually winding up liner. pull through print at adhere to the base of the laminator in the backside to create a bridge. While rollers are separated, align the material that you are laminating between the rollers and then manually lower rollers to close nip. Use pedal while on back side of machine to bring material to TUR. Cut away exposed laminate. Tape finished piece to TUR again 1 piece of tape in the middle, put your laminator in drive mode and you can walk away until finished....You should have ZERO tension on lamination material shaft. The pealer can have max tension, the TUR as needed. My GFP needs no additional tension...

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

On your Kala, have you done a roller alignment and pressure adjustment? Are you running pressure setting 1, 2, or 3?

 

[AF]

“100% of laminating issues are due to user error”
-Laminator Manufacturers​

There is a black art to laminating, but as stated above the first step is to adjust the machine.

 

[jfiscus]

“100% of laminating issues are due to user error”
-Laminator Manufacturers​

There is a black art to laminating, but as stated above the first step is to adjust the machine.

I have to agree with them. I've only seen a couple parts actually just break on a laminator after long term heavy use, otherwise every lamination issue always comes back to operator error. Some laminators are way over-complicated and some operators are way under-brained.

 

[Geneva Olson]

We are experiencing a new issue on our Kala laminator and wondering if anyone is familiar with fixes. I’ve attached a video showing the issue for reference.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pw4avxs0pxk7gyy/VID_20200813_093912.mp4?dl=0

Essentially what we’re experiencing is our long laminated prints begin to create a V shape on the printed material we are feeding in. After a long enough time, the V create a buckle and an air gap. Here are the things we’ve already tried:

• New setup of laminator roll and material
• Let material sit overnight
• Cut the printed feed material in a bowed in and out shape
• Feed both by hand and from the feed roller
• Use with and without the takup roll
• Adjust tension on the laminator supply roller

I did some research and saw a term called “Boat Waking” that is relatively common. It would seem like the outer parts of the rollers are pulling at different pressure/rate than the center section.

Any ideas on how to get this fixed? I know there's another tension knob on the roll of laminate -- is this the culprit? Should these adjustments be made as I'm running material through and starting to experience the wave forming?

I came here looking for the same exact answer with my laminator. I can't get it to feed in without "boat waking". Tensions is too high? My laminator is a cold roll simple thing.

 

[Jay Grooms]

I don't have much to add, but I'd tend to agree with everyone. Way too much pressure.
Counter-intuitive I know, but the rollers will bend outward in the middle if there's too much tension on the ends.

Good Luck!

 

[Geneva Olson]

I don't have much to add, but I'd tend to agree with everyone. Way too much pressure.
Counter-intuitive I know, but the rollers will bend outward in the middle if there's too much tension on the ends.

Good Luck!

So, I notice when I relieve the tension, then the wheel starts to turn and "unwind". So is that NOT ENOUGH tension?

 

[ewded]

I always use this loading method, foolproof if you make a straight cut at the printer

 

[Geneva Olson]

Too much tension on your print roll. If you can bounce a quarter off of it, it's too tight. But I run a gfp 463th, so I may be way off.


With lot's of swear words?

Off the print roll or the laminate?

 

[ewded]

PrintQueen it looks like you need a LaminatorKing

 

[Geneva Olson]

Print roll. Laminate can have quite a bit of tension before issues arise for me. Print roll can only handle about half the tension before I start having issues. Always back off tension evenly from both sides.

So, if it's a small run and i'm just holding it (like 2-3 yards and it's on a roll), I need to not have it tightly wound?

 

[PrintQueen]

just to drop in here on the original laminator issue, if anyone cares --- our laminator is just screwed. litereally. there's a screw in on side that is not seating properly when we close the rollers together, so its causing all sorts of issues. we have heat-assist, and have been using that on our matte laminate, which has been helping? currently accepting recommendations for new 54" laminators!

 

[Jay Grooms]

So, I notice when I relieve the tension, then the wheel starts to turn and "unwind". So is that NOT ENOUGH tension?

I mean the tension between the pressure rollers.