What Does The Cold Setting On A Laminator Do

Technically when using a cold pouch you don t need a machine.

What does the cold setting on a laminator do.

Most cold machines can be operated just by inserting your document into the feed opening and then cranking the handle. What you re going to be laminating. With a hot device you need to usually set speed and temperature settings as well as worry about the thickness of your materials. If cold laminating is all you do use self adhesive laminating sheets without a laminating machine.

Cold laminating is sometimes used for sensitive documents such as photos. Cold laminating films typically cost more than hot laminating films but they can be applied using less costly easier to operate non. 3 mil runs at 275º 300º. Cold laminating pouch film already have a sticky adhesive that can seal documents without the aid of a laminator.

Cold lamination is your best option when laminating heat sensitive documents or photos. Cold laminating films have a more aggressive adhesive that can be applied with pressure instead of heat. You can seal a document with your hand a ruler or credit card. However pouches also come in menu size for creating organizers legal size for making maps or photo size for creating name tags.

A release liner protects the adhesive until it ready to applied typically on a cold roll laminator. So going with the cold machine could end up costing you a bit more in the long run. The size of your materials will play a part because you ll need a roll laminator to process large items such as posters. Hot laminating is the most common temperature usage as it provides the greatest durability and clarity.

However laminators even for the cold process deliver the best quality. Also for self adhesive cold pouches be sure to only use the cold setting on your laminator. In general cold lamination is much easier than thermal processing. As a result cold lamination requires specially designed laminating pouches containing sticky adhesive which do not require heat.

For general purpose film. 1 5 mil runs at 290º 315º. Hot laminators use a heat activated adhesive that is heated as it passes through the laminator. That s where the cold setting on your machine comes in handy.

Cold laminators use a pressure sensitive adhesive that does not need to be heated. Laminating pouches come in many different sizes. Always refer to your roll laminator s user manual for information on temperature settings. Something you absolutely must think about before getting a laminator is what you plan on laminating.

The downside to hot laminators is that some items for example some photographs can not handle the heat required to apply the lamination. In general however these are the temperature settings you would use. But sealing a document with cold pouch film can often leave undesirable bubbles and creases. Most laminators have cold and hot lamination settings to provide maximum flexibility.