I could theoretically print an entire 40 foot roll of prints, taking the output up on a roll. Then thread up the laminator to simultaneously apply a top coating laminate to the print side, while also applying an adhesive to the back. That would yield "decals" that could be cut up and applied to substrates. The throughput would be mind boggling. That's why a lot of online photo printers use that process.
But there are problems with that. I'm not confident about the drying quality of ink wound up on a roll. My working environment is far from dust free. For media coming off the roll into the laminator there is no opportunity to do touch up on surface defects and white spots that didn't print because of flaked off emulsion, etc etc. Dust flaking off the ends of media rolls is a well known effect that would a introduce lot of flakes into the wound up roll. And inkjet printing is a slow process that leaves the face of the wet images exposed to the dusty breeze for extended periods of time between the printheads and the takeup roller. One could wind up a lot of problems on those rolls.
I could unroll the media a few feet at a time to make corrections, I suppose, but that would invite new dust spots which would be inevitable in my situation. I feel more comfortable with breaking the process down to 8 foot long sections, where I would make a 44 x 94 print stripped up with one or more images, and generate 1 to 3 of those a day to keep pace with my realistic ability to cut and finish substrate panels. That way there's easy access to the face of the prints. I would apply the large stripped up prints to panels faced with adhesive, peeling off the adhesive just ahead of the print and substrate entering the pinch rollers. That involves much more manual intervention than the roll-to-roll method, but I feel it would give a better product, if only because of being a relatively dust-proof method. Another problem with simultaneous front and back laminating is that the least objectionable over laminates require too much heat for adhesive backings, so one would have to use lower quality, low temperature over laminates.
Those are my assumptions based on testing up to 24 x 60 prints, which is the largest size I dare handle with my existing laminator-like device. I hope that extrapolates well into 44 x 94 on a motorized machine.
As for over laminates, I have yet to see a sample that gave me warm fuzzy feelings about the process. I always think about the Peter-Lik-wannabee who set up $hop on Canyon Road with great images made to look dreadful by overlaminating. Didn't last long. Sometimes trying to hit a price point can hurt you. Spraying is a pita, but the looks I've been getting with the solvent sprays is really superb, IMHO, with a resilient and almost sensuous surface compared to face mounting on plex. PS, scratches and scuffs on solvent sprayed surfaces can be fixed in 32 seconds with a couple swipes of Premier Art Shield, compare that to facemounted prints.