You can divide lamination into two main categories; hot and cold. The first utilises heat to melt an adhesive and bond materials. However, the latter only uses pressure. It provides more flexibility and allows you to laminate a wider selection of substrates, including those sensitive to high temperatures. Before you rush in though, you need to consider the heat resistance of cold lamination or you could risk damaging materials. Let’s have a look here, then you can rely on us if you want to arrange laminating services.
Potential flaws
Exposing materials with cold laminate to high temperatures can lead to a number of problems. Firstly, it can cause delamination, cracking, bubbling, and distortion. Secondly, it can ruin the clarity, causing clouding and yellowing.
The biggest issue is the flaws can compromise the performance. If there isn’t a strong bond, moisture and other elements could damage the substrate. Cold lamination is especially popular in industries like electronics where components are sensitive to heat. Therefore, if the laminate does not provide sufficient resistance, it can lead to malfunctions or worse.
Factors to consider
With all the potential flaws, you should be able to see why it is so important to get cold lamination right. Crucially, you need to think about the three things that affect it. Then you can ensure you get the right laminating services.
First, you must choose the right kind of laminate. There are many options for cold lamination, with different levels of heat resistance. If you want to maximise it, polyester films are a top choice, able to retain their dimensional stability at higher temperatures. Polypropylene and vinyl films are good too, but have lower heat resistance.
Next, you must think about the type of adhesive you are using. It is the main factor in creating a strong bond with the substrate. There are two main options; solvent and solvent-free (water based). Sadly, it isn’t such an easy choice between them. On the surface, solvent adhesive is best for heat resistance, but they can release VOCs and potentially harm people and the environment. Solvent-free adhesives are safer, however they have a longer drying time and may not be good for high temperature applications.
Finally, you need to think about the substrate you are dealing with. Materials have different levels of thermal conductivity and expansion. Cold laminate can have lower heat resistance with metals because they conduct heat so effectively. Some plastics can have higher resistance. Paper also generally has low thermal conductivity.
Do you want high quality laminating services?
As you can see, it is important to select the right combination of substrate, laminate, and adhesive. Think about the setting, particularly the temperature. Are visuals important? If yes, you also need to keep that in mind when you consider different laminates.
Lamination is a fantastic technique that can massively improve the lifecycle and performance of different products. If you’re considering it and want advice, you can rely on us. We’ve got a wealth of knowledge and experience, including laminating metal, timber, plastic, and paper/card.
So, get in touch and talk to us about laminating services. We can work with you to choose the right solutions for a huge array of applications.