Laminating speed
The maximum laminating speed provided by the device — in other words,
the length of the section that the laminator is able to laminate in a minute. The high speed rate makes it easier to operate with large volumes of media, but significantly affects the cost of the device. Therefore, it makes sense to look for a quick laminator only if you have to deal with large volumes of media, or if the ability to quickly handle the task is critical. If the device is bought for use from time to time, this indicator can be ignored.
Max. film thickness
The thickest film (in microns) that the laminator can handle.
Thick film lamination makes it possible to stiffen the material and provide additional protection. More detailed recommendations about the optimal thickness for a specific type of work can be found in special sources. Among standard films of increased thickness there are
125 µm,
175 µm,
250 µm.
Number of rollers
The number of rollers provided in the design of the laminator. The rollers perform two main functions — the supply of the media to be laminated and the pressure necessary to fix the film. In addition, in many modern laminators, rollers also play the role of heaters within a heated laminating type (see "Type of lamination").
The rollers are installed exclusively in pairs, so the smallest number is 2. A larger number of rollers allows you to achieve better uniformity of movement and, accordingly, the quality of processing, and also allows you to work with thicker films; on the other hand, it also affects the price of the device. Therefore, most entry-level and mid-level laminators have 4 rollers (2 pairs), and in professional models this number can reach 8.
Power consumption
The electrical power consumed by the laminator in usual operation. Even in A2 format models (see above), this figure rarely exceeds 2 kW (which is comparable to the consumption of an electric kettle or iron), not to mention simpler devices. Therefore, in most cases, this spec is a reference and practically may be used only in rare cases. But when choosing a professional large-format laminator with media size of A0 or A1, you should pay special attention to power consumption — it can be up to 10 – 11 kW, which puts forward specific connection requirements.
