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.
Min. film thickness
The thinnest film (in microns) that the laminator can handle.
Different applications require different types of film;
a thin film can be useful for laminating thin sheets of paper or if you need to maintain the flexibility of the material. Detailed recommendations about the optimal film thickness for a specific type of work can be found in special sources. The most popular are
films with a thickness of 75 and
80 µm. There is also an intermediate type with thickness of
60 µm.
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.
Max media thickness
The thickest media the laminator is capable of operating with.
If choosing the device is based on this spec, it makes sense not only to take into account the thickness of the media is being to operate with, but also to take a certain margin just in case. At the same time, we note that even the "thinnest" modern laminators are capable of processing materials up to 0.2 – 0.3 mm thick — this is comparable to thin cardboard or very thick paper. And in high-end professional models, this value can exceed 10 mm.
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.
Warm-up time
The time it takes for a hot laminating device (see «Laminating Type») to reach operating temperature.
The shorter this time, the more convenient the laminator to use, but the more energy it consumes. Also note that a high heating rate (1 – 2 min) may be a sign that the device uses plates as heaters; these laminators are considered less advanced than heated roller models and are less suitable for some special tasks (such as laminating photos). So, powerful professional devices will inevitably have a rather long warm-up time — up to 30 minutes in some models.
Display
The laminator has its own built-in display. Usually, this is the simplest LCD with segment numbers and additional graphic symbols (similar to those used in digital watches). Nevertheless, even such a screen is more versatile and informative than indicator lights, it is able to display a wide variety of additional information — the operating mode, the set heating temperature, error messages, etc. This makes management more convenient, and also makes it easier to implement some additional features — for example, programming.
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.
