What Is The Difference Between Thermal And Cold Lamination

The laminator uses rollers that push the sheets of lamination together.

What is the difference between thermal and cold lamination. A thermal laminator can in many cases be used for cold laminating as well if the machine has that feature option. Vinyl substrates will melt and stretch under heat and must therefore use cold laminates. Cold laminating cold laminating is often referred to as pressure laminating. Hot laminators use a heat activated adhesive that is heated as it passes through the laminator.

Below is a list of common laminating film. Low melt films have heat activated adhesives that can applied at 185 to 195 degrees. Heat assist films have pressure sensitive adhesives psas and liners and are applied with hot roll laminators at 185 to 195 degrees. Thermal laminates are much lower cost than cold laminates.

Thermal pouches always require a heated pouch laminator to seal. For both techniques you require a film to laminate the material. I ll explain the differences between the two. Others also have cold laminating capabilities meaning the film and documents are pressed together.

If cold laminating is all you do use self adhesive laminating sheets without a laminating machine. The downside to hot laminators is that some items for example some photographs can not handle the heat required to apply the lamination. The cold ones can be made by hand without a machine or can be used with any laminator that has a cold setting. The term mil refers to total measurement of plastic and adhesive within one layer of laminating film expressed in thousandths of an inch 0 001.

Thermal laminating is usually both sides encapsulation while cold is usually one side. You can use cold or hot lamination depending on your need and your budget. The difference in price isn t too great but it is there however you will find that the supplies need for cold lamination are more expensive than what you need for thermal processing. A laminating pouch is used for two sided laminating and comes in either cold pouches or thermal pouches.

Both hot and cold laminating is still commonly used today however hot thermal laminating is by far the most popular. Cold laminating is sometimes used for sensitive documents such as photos. Cold laminating films have a more aggressive adhesive that can be applied with pressure instead of heat. Paper substrates can withstand heat and are therefore suitable for thermal laminating.

That is because cold laminating film has a tacky adhesive on one side that sticks to documents when pressure is applied much like scotch tape. Some laminators only have thermal technology and use heat to seal the laminating film and documents together. That said thermal machines are usually a bit more expensive than cold ones simply because they cost more to produce. Laminating film is offered in a variety of thicknesses ranging from thin and flexible to thick and rigid.

Cold laminators use a pressure sensitive adhesive that does not need to be heated. However if you use cold lamination the item is subjected to pressure.