Laminating

 

(See also "Die Cuts" and "Scoring")

(Recommendations for customers from: Christopher John/The Printworks Inc. @ http://www.cjpw.com/scoring.htm#1)

Laminating is adhering a plastic film coating onto a printed sheet. Its primary purpose is to protect the printed surface of the sheet against scratching, scuffing or smudging and permanent finger marking. In addition to guarding against various types of abrasion, lamination can improve general durability, especially with exposure to the elements, and will normally increase the intensity of the ink colors it covers. Using lamination on one or both sides will protect the sheet better than any other coating.

 

A simple explanation of the process
Most of the laminating done by CJPW is from rolls of plastic that have a thermal glue coating. The equipment heats up the film and this in turn activates the adhesive. As the sheets pass through a series of compression rollers, the laminate is pressed onto the printed piece and then trimmed or die cut to size. Sheets can be laminated on one or both sides.

Thin film laminating
Thin film lamination (generally from 1.5 to 3.0 points) is available in satin, matte and gloss finishes. Gloss lamination greatly increases luster and shine; matte and satin finishes are softer and less obvious to the eye and less reflective. Commonly used for book covers, annual report covers, cookbooks, presentation folders and folding cartons and any important piece that will be handled frequently.

Rigid film laminating
Rigid lamination (usually thick nesses from 3.0 to 20 points each side) is also available in satin, matte and gloss finishes. Uses include hangtags, counter cards, menus, POP signs, banners and rulers. Rigid lamination also increases the "bulk" of the product by adding thickness and snap to the item.

Sealed-edge laminating
When laminating on two sides, you can have your job finished in one of two ways. For superior encapsulation, you can request sealed edges, where the laminate overlaps the edges, sealing the document inside two layers of plastic. This method is recommended where constant use, exposure to moisture and heavy handling are common. Examples include ID cards, menus and reference cards.

Flush-cut laminating
The other option for two-sided lamination is to order your job flush cut, with the edges trimmed to the final size of the printed piece. Many customers prefer the added feel and protection of flush-cut two-sided lamination even if the plastic edges do not prevent moisture from being absorbed into the paper fibers.

Plan ahead, as always
Printed sheets must be laminated before final finishing or trimming in the bindery, so this process, like most other finishing, must be planned in advance. In addition, there are minimum sheet size requirements depending on the nature of your job, so check with CJPW ahead of time.

(From: http://www.cjpw.com/scoring.htm#1)