Mimaki has announced a new series of wide format laminators and films. The LA Series are heat assisted laminators that are meant to be paired with Mimaki’s UCJV LED UV printer/cutters.
The LA laminators come in two sizes, with the LA-160W being 158cm wide while the LA-170W comes in at 170cm wide. They can run at up to 7.5 mpm and are said to be straightforward to use with all the functions on one panel and a pressure handle and foot pedal. Mind you, this is fairly standard across laminators from all vendors.
These laminators are heat-assisted with a maximum temperature of 60˚C, which should activate the adhesives in the films and reduce the risk of the silvering effect that sometimes results from the use of pressure sensitive overlaminates. This silvering effect is caused by the instant curing of UV inks, which can cause a slightly uneven surface that can trap air bubbles during laminating, leading to the silvery specs.
There’s also Mimaki Vision-branded laminate films for use with these laminators and UV printers. This includes Mimaki Vision Laminate 310 (Gloss) film, which keeps a glossy feel while maintaining the colour brightness of the print. It’s available in two sizes – 310-137 (137cm) and 310-152 (152cm) – which is a little strange since they don’t match the widths of the new laminators.
John de la Roche of Mimaki’s UK and Ireland distributor, Hybrid Services, commented: “UCJV prints are instantly dry meaning they can immediately be finished on a LA Series laminator. This complete, harmonised solution ensures reliable performance and quality output for those times when a protective overlaminate is required.”
The laminators and films should be available by the end of this year.
Leave a Reply