The SircleLam EM-40 roll laminating machine is an excellent addition to any office or production environment, both for its robust features and ease of use. Below is a list of helpful tips for solving common problems with the SircleLam EM-40:
Problem:
- The laminator does not work. Engine does not run and all indicator lights are off.
- Possible solutions:
- The easiest and most common solution is to verify that your laminator is properly plugged in. Make sure the plug is firmly inserted into the socket, and if that doesn’t help, you can try plugging it into a different socket.
- Check that your circuit breaker has not tripped. If your laminator shares a circuit with another piece of equipment that uses a large amount of electricity, it is possible that turning on one machine while the other was running triggered the circuit.
- As with most electronic devices, your laminator may blow a fuse from time to time. The SircleLam EM-40 uses a 20 amp fuse, which is located behind the cover of the machine on the left side.
Problem:
- Both the laminating film and the item being laminated move through the laminator erratically.
Possible solutions:
- Check the thickness of the item you are laminating. The maximum laminate thickness (without loosening the pressure adjustment screws) is 1/16 “(1.66 mm). If your document is thicker than 1/16”, simply loosen the four pressure adjustment screws. (Each full turn of the screws increases clearance by 1/16 “).
- Your heated shoes may have adhesive residue stuck to it, which can prevent the film from feeding smoothly into the machine. Gently clean the Teflon-coated surface of the heated shoes with a roller cleaning kit or a soft cloth moistened with denatured alcohol. Let the heated shoes dry completely before attempting to rethread your laminator. Note: The Teflon surface of thermal shoes can be easily damaged if abrasive or sharp objects are used to clean them, so it is important that you always use a soft cloth to remove adhesive residue.
Problem:
- The laminating film does not adhere to the document being laminated or to itself at the edges.
Possible solutions:
- Make sure hot shoes and rollers are at the proper operating temperature for the type of film being used. If you recently replaced the supply rolls with a film of a different thickness or composition than the film you normally use, you may need to increase the temperature to properly fuse the film to the item you are laminating.
- Due to the considerable laminating width of 40 “, the SircleLam EM-40 laminator takes approximately 30 minutes to fully heat up. Make sure you have allowed your machine to reach the proper temperature before attempting to laminate anything.
Problems:
- Wrinkles appear on laminated documents that run parallel to the outer edges.
Possible solutions:
- Increase the film tension on the upper and / or lower supply rolls, using the tension knobs located on the right side of each mandrel. By tightening the knobs, more pressure will be applied to the mandrels, which provides more resistance and makes it a bit more difficult to turn the supply rollers.
- Lower the laminating temperature and allow the heat shoes to cool slightly before attempting to laminate again.
- If your heated shoes have adhesive residue attached, the film may not feed evenly into the machine. Gently clean the Teflon-coated surface of the heated shoes with a roller cleaning kit or a soft cloth moistened with denatured alcohol. Let the heated shoes dry completely before attempting to rethread your laminator. Note: The Teflon surface of thermal shoes can be easily damaged by using abrasive or sharp objects to clean them, so it is important that you always use a soft cloth to remove adhesive residue.
Problem:
- The film blisters along the document being laminated or along the edges where the film layers meet.
Possible solutions:
- Blistering of laminating film is often a sign that the temperature is too high. Try reducing the temperature on one or both of the heated shoes and allow the heated shoes to cool for a few minutes before attempting to laminate. If the temperature indicator light remains on after adjusting the temperature, disconnect the power supply and contact your dealer.
- Your heated shoes may have adhesive residue stuck to it, which can prevent the film from running smoothly into the machine. Gently clean the Teflon-coated surface of the heated shoes with a roller cleaning kit or a soft cloth moistened with denatured alcohol. Let the heated shoes dry completely before attempting to rethread your laminator. Note: The Teflon surface of thermal shoes can be easily damaged by using abrasive or sharp objects to clean them, so it is important that you always use a soft cloth to remove adhesive residue.
- If the paper you are laminating contains moisture, blisters may form during lamination. Make sure to store the paper in a dry place and allow all ink to dry completely before laminating.
Problem:
- Laminated documents curl after they exit the pinch rollers (the set of rollers at the rear of the machine).
Possible solutions:
- The fact that the film is bending up or down after the laminator has been installed is a sign that the roll tensions are not adjusted evenly. If the laminated item is rolled upward, reduce the tension on the upper supply mandrel. If the item is bending downward, reduce the tension on the lower supply mandrel. To reduce tension, simply loosen the tension knob located on the right side of the chuck.
- Residual adhesives on the hot shoe may be causing “creep” on one of the rolls of film. Gently clean the Teflon-coated surface of the heated shoes with a roller cleaning kit or a soft cloth moistened with denatured alcohol. Let the heated shoes dry completely before attempting to rethread your laminator. Note: The Teflon surface of thermal shoes can be easily damaged by using abrasive or sharp objects to clean them, so it is important that you always use a soft cloth to remove adhesive residue.