Lamination is an process that bonds different materials together to create durable, protective layers. It’s used for all kinds of industrial and commercial applications, such as packaging, graphics, bookbinding, and more.

But sometimes, hiccups can occur during lamination, which causes problems. If these defects aren’t caught and addressed quickly, they can lead to costly product failures and rejects.

Read on to learn more about some of the most frequent lamination issues manufacturers face and tips for troubleshooting them.

Delamination

One of the most common lamination flaws is delamination, where the adhesive bond between layers breaks down, causing peeling, curling, or complete separation. Some potential causes include inadequate surface cleaning, leaving dirt or oils behind, using incompatible or expired laminating adhesives, improper adhesive application (too much or too little), and curing issues due to temperature or humidity problems.

To fix delamination, you’ll want to carefully inspect and clean all laminating surfaces thoroughly, check adhesive compatibility and shelf life, ensure proper adhesive quantity and coverage, and verify temperature, pressure, and line speed settings.

Wrinkling and Tunneling

Wrinkles or tunnels (trapped air pockets) appearing between laminated layers are usually caused by uneven tension as the materials feed through the laminator, materials not being kept taut and aligned properly, excessive friction from dirt or dust build-up on rollers, and improper temperatures resulting in material shrinkage.

Adjustments to make include checking the tension and alignment of feed materials, keeping everything tightly wound and debris-free, calibrating temperature settings for your materials, and considering adding a BR spreader roller.

Bubbles and Haziness

Tiny air bubbles trapped within a laminated surface or an overall hazy, cloudy appearance often stem from moisture being trapped inside the lamination layers, using laminating films or adhesives past their prime, and having the roll temperature setting too low to activate the adhesive properly.

Ensure you’re working with completely dry materials before laminating, fresh lamination supplies within their shelf life, and properly calibrated roll temperatures for your materials. Taking a close look at all lamination components, settings, and processes will reveal the root cause. Sometimes, adjustments are easy. Other times, you may need to upgrade equipment or replace failing parts.

Additional Tips for Clean Laminates

Staying vigilant and catching issues early can help when it comes to reducing defects and waste with lamination. Here are some additional pointers:

Always do test runs when setting up a new lamination job.
Keep rollers, surfaces, and work areas immaculately clean.
Use compressed air to blow away dirt, dust, and debris.
Check machinery regularly for signs of roller wear or damage.
Maintain proper temperature, tension, and line speed settings.
Be precise with materials handling, staging, and alignment.
Document all process details for easy troubleshooting reference.

With diligent preventative care and quality control, industrial laminators can achieve smooth, flawless results on a consistent basis.

Ready to achieve flawless laminates every time? Upgrade your equipment, optimize your processes, and say goodbye to costly product failures with Filmsource Inc.! We’ve been a reputable supplier of cost-effective laminating equipment since 1996. Contact us today to learn more.

Troubleshooting Common Industrial Lamination Issues