Abstract: Laminate or DECAL removal tooling and method for removing an interconnect substrate, such as a thin DECAL-like structure from a surface of a printed wiring board, heat sink, or other rigid substrate or structure. The tooling may be used to remove a thin laminate, such as a polyimide decal, from pattern metallized and pattern unmetallized polyimide, or ceramic metallized substrates, or thermally conductive heat exchangers. A cylindrical thermode is heated and secured with a layer of adhesive to the thin DECAL-like interconnect structure. The thermode has a non slip drive mechanism attached thereto that is coupled to a drive mechanism. The thermode is moved by the drive mechanism to peel the thin laminate from the rigid substrate without damage. This allows a new DECAL-like structure to be applied to the rigid substrate.