1-5 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The HD-25 “Workhorse” laminators operate by pulling film with a thermally activated
adhesive over a heat source and into a set of laminating rollers. Film from the supply
rolls passes over heat shoes to activate a polyethylene adhesive layer on the film. It
then passes through rubber rollers to apply pressure and bond the film to the item being
laminated. The adhesive is pressed into the ink and fibers on the surface of the paper.
The strength of the lamination bond can be checked by cutting a large “X” on the
surface of a laminated sample with a sharp blade. Use the tip of the blade to pry up one
corner of the “X”. Grab that corner and pull up the film. Ink and/or paper fibers coming
up with the layer of film indicates a good adhesive bond.
If the film comes up too easily, with no ink or paper, the lamination was probably done at
too low a temperature. Check the instructions that may have come with your laminating
film and/or the lamination temperature chart in section 5-5.
Please note that when doing an X-test on glossy (coated) paper, a good X-test will pull
up ink only. The film should not come up easily. When laminating material that is not
glossy (uncoated), the paper is often more fibrous and a good X-test will yield ink and
paper fibers coming up with the film.
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