Guide
A roll-to-roll liquid laminator turns coating from a hand job into a repeatable production step. Getting good results is mostly about set-up: the room, the coating, the coat weight and the drying all have to suit the media going through. This guide walks through setting up a water-based machine such as the Landor 1.6m or 3.3m coater. Your machine’s own manual and training take priority over anything here.
Coating defects often start before the machine is switched on. Choose a clean, well-lit area with little airborne dust, because fibres and debris are much more visible once sealed under a clear finish. Temperature matters too. For ClearShield water-based laminates, Landor advises curing at no lower than about 15°C, and notes that results are much improved at around 18°C. Allow the coating and the rolls of media to acclimatise to the room before you start.
Leave space on the take-up side. A fast applicator is of little use if coated work cannot dry, be handled and be stored without marking.
Use a coating made for machine application. ClearShield Type LL, for example, is designed primarily for automated liquid laminators. Before filling the machine:
Landor’s 1.6m system uses an automatic supply and return with filters, which recirculates the coating and keeps it clean, with very little waste.
On the Landor coaters, the feed and take-up rollers are designed to be easy to load and remove. Thread the media squarely and under even tension, so it runs straight through the coating head without wandering or creasing. The 3.3m coater can, in some cases, run two rolls side by side to increase output.
Check that the print is ready for coating. Ink must be fully dried or cured to the ink manufacturer’s guidance; residual solvent or incomplete cure can cause adhesion problems, cloudiness or an uneven finish. See preparing prints for coating.
The Landor 1.6m system uses Meyer bars to lay down a consistent, adjustable coating thickness. Landor gives a wet coating range of roughly 61–100 microns, giving around 25–35 microns of dry protection; its machines page quotes a typical 75–100 microns wet for a 30–35 micron dry coat. Which setting you use depends on the coating, the media and the protection required, so check the coating data sheet and ask Landor if unsure.
More is not automatically better. Too little coating can leave the print under-protected, while too much can affect flexibility, drying time, texture and cost. Watch for streaks, puddling, dry bands and edge build-up across the full width.
The Landor 1.6m coater has an IR heat and air curing system with adjustable heat, speed and fan circulation. These three settings work together. If the coating is not dry before winding, the roll can block or mark. Too much heat may not suit heat-sensitive media. Landor quotes an average coating speed of around 90m² per hour at the full 1.6m width, but real throughput depends on the media and coat weight.
Run a first-off test on the actual media, ink and finish. Check appearance, adhesion, flexibility and rub resistance once cured, and compare it with the approved sample. Our drying and curing guide explains why dry to the touch is not fully cured.
Once a job is approved, record the coating type, coat weight, heat, speed, fan setting, media and finish. That makes repeat orders quicker and gives operators a reference when work changes hands.
Clean-down on the Landor 1.6m system is designed to take under five minutes. Build it into every shift, along with routine checks of rollers, bars and filters, so contamination is dealt with before it shows on a print. If you want to try a machine before committing, Landor offers demo equipment and rental.
Landor’s water-based coaters work in a range of roughly 61–100 microns wet. The right setting depends on the coating and media; check the data sheet or ask Landor.
This is blocking, usually caused by winding before the coating is dry. Reduce speed, adjust heat and airflow, or lower the coat weight within the recommended range.
Yes. Landor offers rental for one-off and ongoing projects, as well as lease, purchase and contract coating.
Landor supplies 1.6m and 3.3m liquid laminators as standard, and 5m machines can be produced to special order.
Call +44 1252 624411 or email info@liquid-lamination.co.uk for advice, samples and pricing.
