Need Help Need help with Rolls Roller Flatbed application

[LarryB]

I just had a Rolls Roller Rollx flatbed applicator table installed and I'm having issues when applying a laminate to a decal or a sign I get tons of little bubbles under the lam. I was thinking it was a pressure issue and not enough but the distributor says to keep it at the same psi.

I've cleaned the roller with a lint brush and made sure the table is clean. Any suggestions as my distributor is of no help.

 

[MikePatterson]

post up some photos

 

[LarryB]

post up some photos

 

[Lindsey]

What type of laminate are you using?
Do the bubbles appear immediately or later?

 

[LarryB]

What type of laminate are you using?
Do the bubbles appear immediately or later?

Avery 1360Z

 

[VonsGraphix1969]

Did you try upping the pressure a bit just for your own curiosity??? Looks like insufficient pressure to me.... Does it look this way throughout your entire print or just in certain areas??

 

[HaleYeah]

Make sure there is no heat when applying the laminate. Also curious if you were to stick a rigid piece of sign board like 6mm alu-panel on the table and lower the rollers then take a flashlight and stick it on the other side of the rollers, do you see any light that is shining thru.?

 

[greysquirrel]

are the bulbs in the film before you apply? What is the date of the lamination roll? Should be a sticker inside...and I hate to come off unsupportive..If you just had this installed, where is the dealer? Are they involved? If you are within 60 days and you are still getting bubbles, their training did not work and they need to provide more. Don't be afraid to hold your salesman and company accountable...

 

[MI Bearcat]

We have the Kala and it just has 3 pressure settings, 1,2 and 3. Laminate is applied at the highest pressure settings (3) for the Kala. You will get silvering which will go away eventually but shouldn't be getting bubbles.

 

[danno]

I never had good luck laminating with a RollsRoller. It didn't have enough pressure. The Seal 62 Pro D we had, always did a better job when laminating.

 

[LarryB]

I never had good luck laminating with a RollsRoller. It didn't have enough pressure. The Seal 62 Pro D we had, always did a better job when laminating.

Rolls Roller is saying the roller is too dirty and to clean it. Lol. It was just installed yesterday. I got a lint free cloth dabbed in water and cleaned it. It still has the same results.

That's the reason I bought it was to laminate one off signs and decals. My Royal Sovereign laminator does great.

 

[Charlie J]

Definitely looks like a pressure issue. Either too much or not enough.

 

[greysquirrel]

if its not working tell them to come pick it up....I'm sure someone will be out onsite tomorrow morning.

 

[LarryB]

Did you try upping the pressure a bit just for your own curiosity??? Looks like insufficient pressure to me.... Does it look this way throughout your entire print or just in certain areas??

They told me to leave it at 80psi. This may be the culprint. I'm waitiing to hear back from Rolls Roller

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

We run our RollsRoller 280/145 at .5 MPa on the pressure gauge (about half the maximum output pressure) and get very good results when laminating cast or calendered films. The only time I get results like what you're getting is if I turn the pressure down to mount prints on coroplast (around 2-3 MPa) and forget to turn the pressure back up when laminating. Even then, those small bubbles will go away within a few days.

 

[LarryB]

We have the Kala and it just has 3 pressure settings, 1,2 and 3. Laminate is applied at the highest pressure settings (3) for the Kala. You will get silvering which will go away eventually but shouldn't be getting bubbles.

That's nice to have 3 different settings. From what I can tell there is only 1 pressure setting so to make changes for each material I would need to crawl under the table to make changes. I need to experiment bumping up the pressure. It's crazy a manual didn't come with the machine and Rolls Roller doesn't even have one on their website to download.

 

[MikePatterson]

I agree, up the pressure.

 

[LarryB]

Well if they are unresponsive but you are dead set on keeping it, I'd reroute the regulator out from under the table. That's an absurd place to put it. Did they laminate anything for you during training? Did they provide actual training or just drop it off?

I have a highway handyman so I already know the basic principles of how they work. We tested several substrates and were satisfied so he left. An hour later I looked closer at the laminated decals and noticed the bubbles. I called the tech and he said to call the service dept.

Service dept. could not figure it out. I ended up emailing Rolls Roller in Sweden and they told me to clean the rollers which I did. Problem is they are halfway across the world and it’s nighttime.

I sent them more photos explaining the situation so hopefully they will have a solution which I’m sure I will get at midnight.

 

[Lindsey]

Rolls Roller is saying the roller is too dirty and to clean it. Lol. It was just installed yesterday. I got a lint free cloth dabbed in water and cleaned it. It still has the same results.

That's the reason I bought it was to laminate one off signs and decals. My Royal Sovereign laminator does great.

I really don't think those bubbles are caused from the roller being dirty. They look very consistent..everywhere. They also look like they are somewhere on the cusp of "silvering" vs "bubbles". Do they appear immediately after lamination or later?

 

[LarryB]

I really don't think those bubbles are caused from the roller being dirty. They look very consistent..everywhere. They also look like they are somewhere on the cusp of "silvering" vs "bubbles". Do they appear immediately after lamination or later?

The bubbles appear immediately after applying clear laminate to decals.

Rolls Roller replied to my concerns and they said it was silvering which will go away in 24 hours. I would say this almost true but still have probably 10% of the bubbles are still there after 48 hours.

Of course they do not mention this anywhere on their website or YouTube videos.