Part 2 of 2
By Cassandra Balentine
Vendors quoted in our October feature on the topic share their flagship high productivity wide format product highlights below.
Above: CUTWORX offers the B&C Graphics Pro1700 64-inch heat-assisted laminator.
AGL, Inc.
All AGL laminators fall under the category of high-production laminator. The company designs and engineers every piece of equipment to be operated five-plus days per week by multiple operators on multiple shifts.
For example, AGL’s Patriot laminator is an extremely popular model for customers roll-to-roll laminating 300-foot rolls of adhesive-backed vinyl and PSA overlaminate.
While AGL has many laminators that fit specific customer needs, every AGL laminator is designed to provide repeatability through process control feedback, proprietary concentrically ground nip roller design, main machine frame and side plate integrity, and durable yet simplistic operator control panels.
Colex Finishing Solutions, Inc.
Colex’s high-production line consists of the 1650 series laminators; 1650 HA Heat Assist, 1650 TH Top Heat, and 1650 DH Bi-directional laminator with double pairs of rollers for encapsulation or PSA cold lamination.
Key features across the 1650 series include motorized lift, pneumatic pressure, and inline cutting.
The 1650 HA is equipped with removable shafts and operates at speeds up to 26 feet per minute (fpm). The 1650 TH features swing-out shafts for fast media loading and reaches top speeds of 39 fpm. The 1650 DH is an encapsulation laminator built for bi-directional operation, featuring dual sets of rollers and seven shafts for multiple applications with a maximum speed of 26 fpm. The Colex 1650 HA and TH series with variable pressure and speed adjustment are aimed at both new and experienced users. While the 1650 DH is aimed at experienced operators.
CUTWORX USA
CUTWORX offers the exclusive B&C Graphics Pro1700 64-inch heat-assisted laminator, a production laminator engineered for demanding signage, display, packaging, and print finishing environments. It runs at up to 40 fpm with a top heat-assisted roller that reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and its large 130 millimeter silicone rollers provide smooth, consistent lamination contact. The machine handles media up to 1.1 inches thick.
Several features set the Pro1700 apart in its class.
Pneumatic swing-in/out air shafts, configured with two winders and one rewinder, let operators swing the shaft out, load a heavy roll, and lock it back in place. This is faster than threading conventional shafts.
A foot pedal and integrated controls lift and engage the pneumatic main roller, keeping the operator’s hands free for webbing media and positioning graphics.
An air tension bar positioned ahead of the slitters keeps the web flat and evenly tensioned for clean, accurate trimming.
Three integrated vertical slitters with tungsten steel blades—two single and one double central blade—trim edges and separate graphics in line so that lamination and trimming happen in one pass.
The SMART Monitoring System displays set temperature, real temperature, speed, date, time, and lamination records for production visibility and job tracking.
Front and rear control panels, including additional speed controls at the rear, give operators access to speed, temperature, and start/stop functions from either side of the machine, so there is no need to walk around to make adjustments.
Graphic Finishing Partners, Inc. (GFP)
GFP provides the 563TH-4RS and 663TH as production models with heat-assisted top rollers. Its 865DH-4RS is also considered high production but utilizes fully heated top/bottom rollers and used when thermal encapsulation is required.
All three models feature silicone rubber rollers—considered lifetime rollers when rollers are free of cuts, splices, or gouges; cantilevered swing out support shafts for easy switching film types/sizes/finishes; inline rear rewind with rotary slitter blades for trimming edges or between prints; 20 feet maximum production speeds; and manual (563/865) and electronic (663) nip/pressure of main rollers.
Mimaki USA, Inc.
The Mimaki LA-160W heat-assisted laminator. It supports a maximum processing width of 62.2 inches, processing speeds up to 295.3 linear inches per minute, processing thickness up to 1.38 inches, and warming temperatures from room temperature to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
What sets the LA-160W heat-assisted laminator apart is its combination of heat-assist finishing, production speed, precise feeding, and simple operation. Known for its ability to run whole rolls of media and laminate in a single run. Heat assistance improves overlaminate film adhesion and reduces the potential for silvering created by pressure-sensitive overlaminates.
The system also offers fast throughput, one-panel operation, easy access, and a take-up reel that facilitates a one-person operation of the whole process.
Supply 55, Inc.
Supply 55’s production machine for wide format lamination is the ZFP 1650 roll-to-roll laminator. It’s engineered and built in Poland by ZFP. It handles webs up to 65 inches wide at speeds of up to 72 fpm. What really sets it apart is that it’s built to order around media, films, and volume, so work is not forced through a one-size-fits-all machine. Machine configurations feature an electromagnetic brake, pneumatic expanding shafts for three-inch cores, quick-release chucks, and inline slitting and cutting.
Oct2026, Digital Output
