ABC Office Educator Operation Manual - page 24

Problem:  A laminated item comes out with a large “oily” spot on or near the leading 

edge. 

Solution:  It’s not oil that causes this effect, but excess adhesive.  When a machine is left 

heated but idle for a few minutes or longer, the adhesive from the film over the shoes can 

form droplets if material is put in immediately.  This excess adhesive saturates an area of 

paper, creating what looks like an oily spot.  The solution, as mentioned above, is just to 

let a few inches of film go through before feeding in your work. 

Anytime you are laminating unfamiliar or costly items; it is a good idea to start with an 

expendable sample or test piece.  Laminating a test piece first gives you an indication of 

the results you will get and also takes care of any pooled adhesive. 

Problem:  A milky, hazy line about an inch wide appears periodically across the width of 

the web immediately after initial warm-up. 

Solution:  The rollers are not evenly heated, and the cold side of the rollers is preventing 

the adhesive from melting.  When warming up the machine, keep the rollers open and 

keep the forward drive on low speed. 

Problem:  The machine produces a continuous squealing noise when laminating. 

Solution:  To a certain extent, it is normal for some laminating film to squeal as it is 

pulled over the heat shoes under tension.  This noise is produced via the same principles 

that make a violin squeal.  Some of the compounds put on film to keep it from sticking to 

itself seem to act like resin on the bow of the violin – they enhance the noise. 

To minimize squealing, run the laminator with the least amount of supply roll tension that 

will do the job of removing wrinkles from the web of film.  Make sure you are not using 

a higher temperature than needed and clean the heat shoes periodically.  If the noise gets 

really objectionable, use a different type or different brand of film. 

Problem:  The laminated material seems to have a pitted surface or irregular surface that 

does not match the texture of the paper being coated. 

Solution:  This is usually caused by adhesive build-up or dirt on the rubber rollers, but 

may be caused by any matter stuck to the rollers, such as a piece of paper.  Inspect the 

rubber rollers and if they need cleaning refer to the owner’s manual. 

Cuts or other damage to the rubber rollers, especially the laminating rollers, can also 

cause irregularities in the surface of the film.  The pull rollers are identical to the 

laminating rollers and could be substituted if still in good condition. 

Problem:  The film shrinks as it passes over the heat shoe (known as “necking” in the 

laminating trade).