Laminators are extremely useful office equipment used for preserving important documents, photographs, etc. As a result of the utility of these machines, an increasing number of people are now enjoying the benefits of laminators. In addition to schools and offices, many households also love the idea of having their own lamination machine.
If you have used a laminator, I am sure you understand the pain of encountering a paper jam. Getting a jammed laminator repaired by an expert may take a lot of time and can be quite expensive. Luckily, there are more than one ways for fixing a jammed laminator at home. However, please remember that this entire process must be carried out while the rollers are still warm. However, before discussing these fixes, it is important to understand the reasons that may lead to a paper jam.
Factors Causing Paper Jams
- Paper jam can be a result of using sheets of paper with inappropriate thickness. Therefore, before you start using your laminator, read the instruction manual thoroughly to find out the minimum and maximum thickness of documents that your machine can handle. Please remember that the overall thickness of the paper and the laminating pouch must be within the specified limits. You can avoid paper jams in the future by only laminating documents of recommended thickness.
- Paper jams can also occur because of the spillage of the pouch laminator adhesive on the rollers of the laminators. If you face this problem, clean the spilled glue off the rollers immediately. This spillage can be avoided by using only high-quality lamination pouches.
Dealing with a Jammed Laminator
Many of today’s sophisticated lamination machines come equipped with a reverse button. When this button is pressed, the stuck paper returns. Therefore, it becomes effortless to unjam the laminator. These laminators are extremely popular nowadays because of this feature.
Some other newer laminator models don’t have a reverse button, but have a release lever. Therefore, if the reverse mode is not there in your machine, try to find the release button. In most machines, it is found near the power button. To unjam your laminator quickly without disassembling it, press the release button while your laminator is still on. This will cause the rollers to detach and the stuck document will be released. Now, you can pull out the stuck document easily.
Paper jams can be a little more complicated for laminators without a release or a reverse button. In these machines, disassembling is essential for fixing the issue. Before disassembling, simply try to pull the jammed document out. If the entire pouch is stuck inside the laminator, at least the top of the machine has to be opened.
- Turn off and unplug the machine
- Unscrew all screws on the machines cover with extreme caution
- Remove the top
- Firmly pull out the jammed document
- Fasten all the screws and turn on the machine.
In some older models, you may have to disassemble the whole machine because it is impossible to remove the upper part. This process is different for different laminators and should be tried only by individuals with some experience of dealing with laminators.
If you have any other questions related to your laminator, please get in touch with us at RENZ Australia.