Lamination film was invented by Williame Maser in 1952. The first production of lamination film was meant for use in food processing but it was soon used for other purposes as well. Initially it was used to protect paper from damage and was also used to make rolls of film that could be employed in picture developing. The advent of plastics and better techniques for producing thermal lamination film made it more suitable for photo lamination.
Thermal lamination film was initially developed for use in food processing. Thermoplastic polyurethane was introduced as an alternative to the more expensive non-thermoplastic plastics. A laminated sheet of this material was first produced in the United States in 1954. It was used to protect plates from scratches. Later on, thermal lamination pouches were introduced that could be used for sealing vacuum cleaner bags.
Lamination film was further developed into different thicknesses depending on the purpose for which it had to be used. The first thicker lamination film was released in the early 1960s for industrial purposes. Currently, lamination films are available in a wide variety of thicknesses, from one and a half mil to three mil thicknesses. They can be manufactured from a variety of plastics including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, nylons, dyes, and resins. There are also lamination pouches available in various thicknesses.
In the early days of using lamination film, it was found that the thicknesses varied depending on the thickness of the coating that was applied. Film thicknesses increased as a result of applying heat. Therefore, film manufacturers formulated a process called nylon laminating film biaxically oriented deposition. Nylon lamination films formed in a similar way to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This procedure produced uniform and highly detailed lamination film.
Today, lamination of printed pieces is also done using this process. This technique has several advantages over other lamination techniques such as flat mounting, hot lamination, thermal lamination, and cold lamination. For example, laminated clear plastic film can be applied to a surface with inkjet printers. The resulting printed pieces look clear and may also be printed with text or graphics, depending on the type of material that is used for manufacture of the laminated piece.
A major benefit of lamination is that the thickness of the lamination film doesn’t need to be precisely measured, although it is produced as a result of a computer-assisted manufacturing process. Lamination techniques enable manufacturers to produce a large number of identical products by uniform thickness. To achieve this goal, manufacturers can lay out layers of nearly identical thicknesses. Another benefit of lamination is that the lamination itself does not peel, nor does it need to be removed and replaced. Therefore, lamination can be applied even after paint has dried on a printed piece.
Lamination films are available in various thicknesses. The most common types of lamination are those that are in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. Generally, thicker lamination films have better adhesive strength, resisting leakage and sticking. These thicker films also require higher minimum adhesives to keep the parts of the printed object together.
Flat lamination films are also available as composite laminates. These are made from a combination of two materials. The primary material used for the composite lamination is nylon, which is in turn covered with a polyester laminate paper. The secondary material used in this case is paper or wood fibers covered with a heat-strengthened nylon coating. The resulting product is a high-quality, durable, and attractive finished product, which can withstand a wide range of conditions.
Lamination film is often used for identification cards because it greatly increases the card’s identification strength and accuracy. In addition, laminated cards resist tearing and abrasion. In the past, laminated identification cards were not always glossy. In fact, the only kind of lamination available in this condition was called “anteamidate” lamination, which had a matte finish and a somewhat grainy color. Today, however, it is almost impossible to distinguish an antemma card from a normal card without close examination.
Lamination film lamination is also useful in other situations. High-definition digital images are sometimes printed on lamination film. Since the image can be seen clearly even at the edges, high definition digital cameras are able to capture images with greater clarity and realism than can be achieved through standard film. Lamination film is also widely used to create a surface for a layer of UV protected printed circuit boards. This prevents damage to the board when it is placed near an area that is very hot or otherwise susceptible to heat damage.
As it was previously mentioned, lamination film was originally created to be used for identification purposes. However, today it is frequently used to create stunning, professional quality artwork that can be used for decorative items, gift giving, craft projects, and so on. One of the advantages of using this type of art work is that it has an increased longevity compared to paper prints and photographic images printed on standard non-gloss paper stock. Therefore, if you would like to preserve a special piece of artwork for a very long time, it may be worthwhile to consider using a piece of thermal lamination film to protect your artwork.
