Dry film lamination with dynamic feedback control

A method comprising:

• providing an item for lamination and positioning the item in a press area of a lamination tool, the lamination tool comprising a press unit comprising a plurality of pressure sensors and a heating block, the heating block comprising a pressing surface and a plurality of heating and cooling elements positioned proximally to and distributed throughout the pressing surface, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are embedded in the pressing surface, wherein each pressure sensor is paired with and adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of heating and cooling elements;
• positioning a laminating film over a lamination area for the item;
• applying heat at the plurality of heating and cooling elements and applying pressure on the laminating film to reduce a viscosity of the laminating film, wherein the heat and the pressure bond the laminating film to the item to form a laminated item;
• measuring at each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors a corresponding pressure sensor feedback;
• and
• adjusting the applying of heat or removing the heat and applying cooling at the corresponding ones of the plurality of heating and cooling elements, each based on its corresponding pressure sensor feedback and according to temperature profile set points to selectively adjust the viscosity of the laminating film to control a thickness profile of the laminated item.