GBC Ultima 65 Service Manual page 58

IN THE BEGINNING
GBC's evolution in the laminators has taken the knowledge of lamination to a higher level than ever
before. The new GBC Color Finishing Laminators have distinctive characteristics that their older
predecessors did not have. With the flexibility to use a wide range of thermal and cold Pressure Sensitive
Adhesive (PSA) films, the word lamination takes on new meanings.
Learning the difference between machine malfunction and laminating the different types of printing in
today's market will test your knowledge of lamination and troubleshooting problems. Before assuming
the machine to be at fault, ask a few questions to determine "what's wrong with this picture".
SEEING THE PROBLEM
* Wrinkling at the edges.
* Excessive wrinkling between two separate laminated sheets running parallel to each other.
* Air bubbles in the lamination.
* Edge of lamination not sealed.
* Warping of product after lamination.
* Cracking of the printed material after lamination.
* "Silvering" on the laminated product.
* Creasing in various areas of the laminated product.
The previous mentioned conditions are not necessarily caused by machine malfunction. The following
are examples of some conditions that may influence the quality of lamination.
Media being laminated - Some prints are made using synthetic materials. This material usually exhibits
waves or wrinkles when laminated with thermal films. Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) films are best
suited for this application. Thickness of product plays an important part in the laminator's ability to seal
at the edge. As the thickness of the material increases, the chance of achieving a sealed edge decreases.
Too little or too much heat or roller pressure - Excessive heat usually causes waves or warping of the
finished product. Heat problems may also appear in the form of air bubbles. "Silvering" is a condition
usually caused by insufficient heat. It is mostly noticeable in dark colors. Silvering may also be noticed
when laminating with PSA films, which take approximately 24 hours to cure. If the heat is at the
recommended temperature for both the film and the product and bubbles, waves, or
creasing are still present, this could be caused by differences in roller pressure, front to back or left to
right.
Differences in film manufacturing - The preset temperatures for the GBC Eagle are set for GBC NAP-II
laminating film, using 20 lb. Bond paper. GBC Eagle laminators usually will laminate a variety of
different manufacturer's film. When laminating with films other than NAP-II, adjustments to the preset
temperatures and speed may be necessary.
Ink and toner coverage - Wide format and color prints are made in a variety of ways. The common trend
is to use alcohol based inks, called GA ink, or oil based inks, called GO ink. The GA inks usually work
very well with thermal films. The GO inks are sensitive designed for vinyl s ubstrates. Another ink type is
PIEZO, which is wax based and comes in a "stick" form; it may crack if folded or rolled tightly. Pressure
Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) films are great candidates for these applications.
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