Glossary

Acrylic adhesive

A type of pressure-sensitive adhesive most often used on cold films.

Base (or film base)

The protective layer of a laminating film. In a thermal film, the base is usually polyester. Polypropylene or nylon is commonly used for single-sided laminating. A laminating film is made by applying an adhesive to a base.

Co-polymer

An agent added to the polyethylene adhesive layer of a thermal film to lower its melt temperature, increase its adhesion, improve its clarity, and provide UV protection.

Dry mounting

A thermal process which uses a heat-activated adhesive (dry mount tissue) to bond the back of an image to foamboard, mount board, or another paper-surface mounting substrate. It may be done with a press or with some types of laminators. It has often been used by framers in the art and photo markets .

Heat shoes

Heating elements whose purpose is to melt the adhesive layers of film as they come together at the nip to seal the substrate.

Melt temperature

May be a range or a specific temperature at which a thermal film or a dry mount adhesive is best applied.

Mil

A measure of the thickness of film. One mil = 1/1000th of an inch.

The nip

The line at which two laminating rollers press together and lamination takes place.

Polyester

The base or outer protective layer of most thermal laminating films. It does not melt during the thermal laminating process. It is also the base layer of some PSA films.

Polyethylene

The adhesive almost always used in thermal films. During hot lamination it liquefies. The lamination takes place at the nip. Fans or chill rollers in the laminator then help cool the adhesive so it ecomes a flexible solid again.

PSA

Pressure-sensitive adhesive. Pressure-sensitive adhesives will work cold or with some heat. Either acrylic or latex type adhesives are generally used in PSA materials. Pressure-sensitive adhesive is used on clear laminating films, on sign vinyls, and for mounting images.

Substrate

Under-layer. It can refer to material we print on, or the board we used to mount an image.

Vinyl

Used as the base of most clear PSA laminating films. It is also used in colored sign materials.

Web

The unwinding width of plastic coming off a supply roll, or the continuous flow of laminate coming out the back of the laminator.