Arctic titan 165 HELP!

[Daigleb]

Hello all. I am currently having issues with my Artic titan 60" laminator. Ive been running this machine for 3 years with no major problems. Now in the past 2 weeks the right side seems to be loosing tension and causing major wrinkles. when webbed all looks great untill i start to run somthing through. I've took apart the side casings and tightened the tension springs.

I use Oracal 210 lam with Oracal 3640 vinyl

Im lost at what to do any help much appreciated. thanks.

 

[jmcnicoll]

Try testing the pressure on each side of the machine. Open up the rollers and place a 2 inch wide piece of banner or some scrap in each side of the machine. Make sure the piece is long enough to pull. With the rollers down at your normal setting pull on each piece and try and feel if your problem side comes out or comes out easier than your other side.

You can also try a nib test my having media and lam in the machine and stop it for 10 to 30 seconds and see if the line it puts in the media and lam is even all the way across.

Message me if you want and I'll give you a call

jim

 

[Daigleb]

I will sure give that a try as soon as i have a moment. Will let you know the results!
thanks!

 

[Daigleb]

Okay I tried the banner test, and when i have the pressure down i cant move either side. but i did notice the left side closes b4 the right side. I can fit about 15 sheets of paper under the right side when the left first touches. dont know if thats normal or not. Also my pressure lowering arm is really loose.

 

[jmcnicoll]

If your roller doesn't go down even you most like have a problem. With most lower priced laminators (below $20,000) the rollers are have a built in crown or bulge in the middle. So either the middle should touch first with each side coming down even, or the entire roller should touch at the same time. Try the banner test with less pressure. We have a $14,000 GBC with similar problem and the loos handle and have since upgraded to real nice AGL and sold the GBC.

FYI...I truly believe if you want a real good laminator that will last for many many years spend at least $20,000 and do it right! Easy for me to say when it's not my money. However, we do a fair amount of thick hot lams and backers and our waste went way down with the upgrade.

jim

 

[Robert Boyd]

We have the same laminator and had a similar problem. Our problem turned out to be the craft paper. We were getting the craft paper from a bag and paper company for a good price. They changed the core and the paper quality at the same time (probably changed manufacturers) and we started having problems. We have sinced started using GBC brand craft paper and problem solved. Of course it costs more.

 

[RivaGraphics]

Arctic Titan

I have been fighting this machine for over a year. Never seems to work right and every time I have a tech or local sign shop owner come give me a hand....they both have different ways of loading the machine. My problem right now is just getting the machine loaded initially and then only have a few wrinkling issues here and there. For craft paper I have been RE-using the rewind roll....takes a good 1/2 hour to the roll it off and onto the other roll but its worth the money and MUCH better then the brown paper that tends to wrinkle. Hope this helped someone out Thanks for the initial photos so I can see how is supposed to be loaded!

 

[SightLine]

Heh - we have the exact same one and we load it different as well.... We load the laminate over the idler roller (upper stainless bar just above the rubber roller) instead of under. Overall it's been a good laminator but we have had similar issues in the past. About once I year I've started doing some of the above mentioned tests and re-adjusting those springs. Also use a bright light on the other side to see if you have any light coming through on one side versus the other when the roller is down - not just in the laminating position but where it's pretty much just sitting on the lower roller. Adjust springs to get it as even as possible.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

I have that laminator to and load it the same as in the picture above, dont you use your hold bar that will keep it from wrinkling up to.