Laminating apparatus, and vacuum laminating device and flat press laminating device used therefor

A laminating apparatus for laminating resin to a base material to form a laminate, comprising:

• a vacuum laminating device for pressing the base material and resin under reduced pressure to form a pre-laminate;
• and
• a first flat press laminating device for pressing the pre-laminate to form a laminate,
• wherein the vacuum laminating device includes a pair of plate blocks facing each other, and at least one of the plate blocks is set so as to be movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the other of the plate blocks, whereby the base material and resin are pressed between the pair of plate blocks,
• wherein the upwardly and downwardly movable plate block includes a flat pressing plate, an elastic pressing plate and a buffer material, and the buffer material has a multi-layer structure comprised of not less than three layers including a two fiber layers and a rubber layer,
• wherein the first flat press laminating device includes a pair of plate blocks facing each other, and at least one of the plate blocks is set so as to be movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the other of the plate blocks, whereby the pre-laminate is pressed between the pair of plate blocks,
• wherein the laminating apparatus is configured to form the laminate having a uniform thickness and an absence of voids when a pressing force against the pre-laminate between the pair of plate blocks is set in the range of 625000 to 992500 Newtons, and
• wherein both outermost layers of the buffer material are comprised of the fiber layers.