| A laminate is a material constructed by | | | | often in digital imaging: |
| uniting two or more layers of material | | | | Pouch laminators |
| together. The process of creating a | | | | Heated roll laminators |
| laminate is lamination, which usually | | | | Film types |
| refers to sandwiching something between | | | | Laminate film is generally categorized |
| layers of plastic and sealing them with | | | | into these five categories: |
| heat and/or pressure, usually with an | | | | Standard thermal laminating films |
| adhesive. | | | | Low-temperature thermal laminating films |
| The materials used in laminates can be | | | | |
| the same or different. An example of the | | | | Heatset (or heat-assisted) laminating |
| type of laminate using different | | | | films |
| materials would be the application of a | | | | Pressure-sensitive films |
| layer of plastic film — the "laminate" | | | | Liquid laminates |
| —on either side of a sheet of glass | | | | Pouch Laminators use a lamination pouch |
| — the laminated subject. On the other | | | | that is usually sealed on one side. The |
| hand, plywood is a common example of a | | | | inside of the lamination pouch is coated |
| laminate using the same material. | | | | with a heat-activated film that adheres |
| Examples of laminate materials include | | | | to the product being laminated as it |
| Formica and plywood. Formica and similar | | | | runs through the laminator. The |
| plastic laminates (such as Pionite, | | | | substrate side of the board contains a |
| Wilsonart or Centuryply Mica) are often | | | | heat-activated adhesive that bonds the |
| referred to as High Pressure Decorative | | | | print to the substrate. This can be any |
| Laminate (HPDL) as they are created with | | | | of a number of board products or another |
| heat and pressure of more than 5 lbf/in2 | | | | sheet of laminate. The pouch containing |
| (34 kPa). A new type of HPDL is produced | | | | the print, laminate and substrate is |
| using real wood veneer or multilaminar | | | | passed through a set of heated rollers |
| veneer as top surface. Alpikord is one | | | | under pressure, insuring that all |
| of these laminates produced by Alpi spa. | | | | adhesive layers bond to one another. |
| Laminating paper, such as photographs, | | | | Pouch laminators are designed for |
| can prevent it from becoming creased, | | | | moderate use in the office or home. |
| sun damaged, wrinkled, stained, smudged, | | | | These inexpensive machines are quite |
| abraded and/or marked by grease, | | | | effective. However, for continuous, |
| fingerprints and environmental concerns. | | | | large-volume lamination projects, a roll |
| Photo identification cards and credit | | | | laminator performs more efficiently. |
| cards are almost always laminated with | | | | Pouches can be bought with different |
| plastic film. Lamination is also used in | | | | levels of micrometres (referred to as |
| sculpture using wood or resin. An | | | | MIC) with standard home or office |
| example of an artist who used lamination | | | | machines normally utilising 80-250 |
| in his work is the American, Floyd | | | | micrometre pouches depending on the |
| Shaman. | | | | quality of the machine. The micrometres |
| Types of laminators | | | | relate to the thickness of the pouch. |
| Three types of laminators are used most | | | | The thicker, the higher the cost. |