Opinion Lamination roll size

[Dennis422]

Just wandering if manufacturers should make lamination rolls the same size as the print vinyl (As they do right now, .25" smaller or a .5" smaller?

Stuff happens, your printed vinyl wound uneven and it will weave, you did not align it right with a lamination when laminating, or whatever the reason might be.
Would we benefit from slightly smaller lamination so we do not worry about slight weave.

I wander what is you view on this.

Thanks

 

[InstantOneMedia]

We cut 1-2" off our roll of laminate before we use it. Makes aligning it on the laminator a lot easier.

 

[Fares Bayazeed]

We are going to trim both ends of the finished product anyway in our cold laminated applications. So, it does not matter. Most of what we do is thermal lamination, however, and the laminate comes 1" wider (1/2" on each end) than the printed media being laminated. We print primarily to bond and paper products, which do not have the expanding and contracting issues associated with long outdoor applications.

 

[eahicks]

Just wandering if manufacturers should make lamination rolls the same size as the print vinyl (As they do right now, .25" smaller or a .5" smaller?

Stuff happens, your printed vinyl wound uneven and it will weave, you did not align it right with a lamination when laminating, or whatever the reason might be.
Would we benefit from slightly smaller lamination so we do not worry about slight weave.

I wander what is you view on this.

Thanks

Not sure what brands you use, but I have asked for years for manufacturers to make the lam rolls shorter than the vinyl. Everything we use is the same size or .125' wider than the vinyl.

Also, I think you mean "wondering" and "wonder", unless you actually walk around aimlessly.

 

[signcrafters london]

In a perfect world where prints and lamination are aligned and run perfectly straight, I'd vote for .5" short. But that isn't the case, at least not in my shop. Whether it's due to print and/or lamination weaving/wandering, operator error or combination of both, I need the full width in case it weaves/wanders too far when I print close to the edges of the roll. So I voted same size.

 

[Dennis422]

Not sure what brands you use, but I have asked for years for manufacturers to make the lam rolls shorter than the vinyl. Everything we use is the same size or .125' wider than the vinyl.

Also, I think you mean "wondering" and "wonder", unless you actually walk around aimlessly.

I use Avery.

I am "wondering" with my English since 2000 But I think I'm still not to bad for a foreign guy

 

[ColoPrinthead]

If anything I'd like a roll to be .25" longer than my media; I use the full width of most of what I run.

 

[rjssigns]

I run bogus paper for a backer. Allows me to run all kinds of odd sizes. No issues to speak of. YMMV

However, I can see the convenience factor of having the laminate narrower than the substrate on certain jobs.

 

[eahicks]

If anything I'd like a roll to be .25" longer than my media; I use the full width of most of what I run.

?? What are you running that is edge to edge printing?

 

[2B]

In a perfect world where prints and lamination are aligned and run perfectly straight, I'd vote for .5" short. But that isn't the case, at least not in my shop. Whether it's due to print and/or lamination weaving/wandering, operator error or combination of both, I need the full width in case it weaves/wanders too far when I print close to the edges of the roll. So I voted same size.

this,

while it is annoying to come back and have to trim the lamination that has extended over the edge of the vinyl, this is a MUCH BETTER option than having to reprint when the lamination doesn't cover the vinyl

 

[ColoPrinthead]

?? What are you running that is edge to edge printing?

Traffic signs/streets signs that have a white border like a stop sign etc.

 

[printhog]

Proper laminating procedure for all machines is for laminate to be either the same size, or larger (by a fraction) than the base. This allows the proper balance of nip pressure across the web and that reduces opportunities for air or dirt ingress, wake wrinkles, or tension related interactions between the two media being laminated. You can go a bit over ( I like .125" each side) or spot on, but never smaller.

 

[GVP]

Proper laminating procedure for all machines is for laminate to be either the same size, or larger (by a fraction) than the base. This allows the proper balance of nip pressure across the web and that reduces opportunities for air or dirt ingress, wake wrinkles, or tension related interactions between the two media being laminated. You can go a bit over ( I like .125" each side) or spot on, but never smaller.

This is an interesting comment - I had always thought laminate narrower than the vinyl the way to go, without considering it may affect the actual laminating process. Any idea what the reasoning is?

 

[eahicks]

Proper laminating procedure for all machines is for laminate to be either the same size, or larger (by a fraction) than the base. This allows the proper balance of nip pressure across the web and that reduces opportunities for air or dirt ingress, wake wrinkles, or tension related interactions between the two media being laminated. You can go a bit over ( I like .125" each side) or spot on, but never smaller.

LOL This is some made up BS! I cut down smaller pieces of laminate for smaller signs all the time, and never have an issue....why on earth would I use a full 54" wide sheet of lam on a single 2' x 3' print? I would cut down a slightly oversized piece of the roll of laminate and run it. For roll to roll lamination, it doesn't matter AT ALL whether the roll is wider or narrower, as far as how the lam goes down. It's the inconvenience of trimming off that excess laminate afterwards, especially if it is overhanging for the majority of a roll. And actually, if the roll of lam IS wider, it can cause problems by sticking to the roller, the platen, or the rest of the laminated print as it's rolling off. So yeah, after 26 years of doing this, I would rather the lam be NARROWER than the vinyl.

 

[printhog]

LOL This is some made up BS! I cut down smaller pieces of laminate for smaller signs all the time, and never have an issue....why on earth would I use a full 54" wide sheet of lam on a single 2' x 3' print? I would cut down a slightly oversized piece of the roll of laminate and run it. For roll to roll lamination, it doesn't matter AT ALL whether the roll is wider or narrower, as far as how the lam goes down. It's the inconvenience of trimming off that excess laminate afterwards, especially if it is overhanging for the majority of a roll. And actually, if the roll of lam IS wider, it can cause problems by sticking to the roller, the platen, or the rest of the laminated print as it's rolling off. So yeah, after 26 years of doing this, I would rather the lam be NARROWER than the vinyl.

I wasn't referencing laminating tiny sections. I was referencing laminating an entire roll. If I'm laminating a small chunk I'll cut out to the size, or use scrap. When you web up a full roll, you need the small bit over to assure that you cover the print, and that you have correct nip pressure to laminate. It's particularly important if you're using hot laminate, encapsulating, or heat setting.. if you've ever done that kind of work you'd know it's not made up BS.

 

[jfiscus]

We bought a slitter because it is a HUGE hassle if you run rolls all day long. When rolls come in we cut 1/4" off of them twice. Then you have free "edge seal tape".

 

[eahicks]

I wasn't referencing laminating tiny sections. I was referencing laminating an entire roll. If I'm laminating a small chunk I'll cut out to the size, or use scrap. When you web up a full roll, you need the small bit over to assure that you cover the print, and that you have correct nip pressure to laminate. It's particularly important if you're using hot laminate, encapsulating, or heat setting.. if you've ever done that kind of work you'd know it's not made up BS.

Well ok...you are the ONLY person I have ever heard who WANTS their laminate oversized.

 

[Snydo]

Well ok...you are the ONLY person I have ever heard who WANTS their laminate oversized.

Yah with cold laminate having overhang is never going to do you any good whatsoever. The size variations of materials largely stems from most of the rest of the world using the metric system.