Advanced Barcode & Label Technologies
Repositionable Paper 7142
3M™ Repositionable Paper Label Material 7142 with 3M™ Adhesive 1000 offer unique, one-piece removability from many surfaces, including fragile papers, and can be repositioned repeatedly for reuse on the same surface or application to another surface.
Facestock
55# uncoated litho – Paper
Adhesive
1000 repositionable acrylic
Liner
40# kraft glassine
7142 Removable (PDF)
Retro Reflective 3929
Topcoated to accept resin-based thermal transfer printing.
When bar code printed, retro-reflective facestock extends the maximum and minimum scanning distance of long-range scanners.
Facestock
122 micron (4.8 thou) Topcoated Retro-Reflective Film
Adhesive
25 micron (1.0 thou) #200 ‘Hi Performance’ Acrylic
Liner
114 micron (4.5 thou) 130 g/m² (#80) Clay coated paper
3929 Data Sheet (PDF)
Tamper Evident 3812
3812 is a destructible, non-shrink opaque white polyurethane film. It is designed as a non-
removable label stock. Once applied in a correct manner, a one piece removal is not
possible on most surfaces.
Facestock
40 micron matte white polyurethane
Adhesive
25 micron #350 Hi Holding modified acrylic PSA
Liner
75 micron Bleached, 90g/m² glassine paper, single sided siliconised
Everyone has read or head about a recall of food products from our local grocers, but very rarely do we talk about how the bad product is traced back to its source.
A large number of companies have banded together to create a system of true traceability from farm to store to table called the Produce Traceability Initiative with the goal of electronic traceability for every case of produce.
This goal is to be achieved through a standardized case marking and uniform case identification for each case of produce.
The basis of this traceable label originates with a grower’s GS1 issued company number which then becomes part of the GS1 GTIN number. Added to this number is additional information such as batch number and pick date.
One of the keys to traceability is the use of the Voice Pick Code in the bottom right hand corner. The VoiceCode is a simple hash code, generated from the company GTIN lot number and date code, to produce an easy 4 digit number that can be used in a voice picking system instead of scanning the barcode.
Once the system is in place, produce can be traced back to its origin in a very short period of time, which means that affected crops can be isolated quickly and any product located at other stores that came from the same location can be removed from the shelves fast.
Creating a label printing system is a very simple process that can be setup and running in about an hour. It consists of a thermal transfer printer and label design software that will generate the VoiceCode.
For additional information please visit the Produce Traceability Initiative website at www.producetraceability.org/ or contact us for more details.
Stickers and labels can be made of a variety of materials to give you a “Waterproof Sticker” but the question you should be asking yourself is how much water protection do I need? And, how long does it need to last? Why pay for top of the line waterproof protection if your product is only meant to last a few months. On the flip side you do not want to short change yourself if you have a product that is meant to withstand an outdoor environment for many years.
How do you evaluate the numerous materials, adhesives and printing process available to determine what is right for you?
As with most label jobs, it all starts with a few questions like:
Additional questions that should be asked are:
There are a couple of standard choices available and are usually either Acrylic based adhesive or Rubber based adhesive. The basic characteristics of each are:
Rubber Based – Rubber based adhesives bond quickly to a wide range of materials and surfaces. It is normally less expensive, but not a good choice for long term waterproof stickers because it has a tendency to break down over time when exposed to sun, rain and temperature fluctuations. Stickers made with rubber based adhesive are great for indoor products with a short shelf life.
Acrylic – Acrylic adhesive does not bond as quickly as rubber based adhesives, but gives a more permanent bond. Acrylics are resistant to long term UV (sun) exposure and have a better temperature range. For a truly waterproof sticker, acrylic adhesives should be your first choice.
Today there are more choices in printing methods than ever before and with each new kind of technology there are new ink formulations. When considering how well your sticker will hold up over time, you need to know what type of ink is being used.
Some of the inks and technologies being used include:
There are an array of materials used to make stickers, but which to use depends on the intended purpose of the label. Some of the materials for consideration are:
Paper – You may not consider paper as being waterproof, but add a laminate or varnish over the print and it can become very water resistant. This is a very inexpensive way of protecting a labels from a fair amount of water damage for a short period of time.
Polyolefin – Polypropylene and Polyethylene sticker materials are good all-around waterproof materials as long as they are intended for use on indoor products with a less than 2 year shelf life.
Polyester & Vinyl – For true outdoor weatherproof stickers, there is nothing like polyester or vinyl. These materials can take the abuse of chemicals, heat, cold, and even a moderate amount of UV exposure. By adding a clear anti-UV polyester laminate, we have seen labels last more then a decade outdoors in direct sunlight.
Bottom line is “weatherproof stickers” can mean different things to different people. Make sure you know what kind of environment the sticker will see and for how long.
If in doubt give us a call.
Credits
Photo credit: Sam_Catch / Foter / CC BY-ND
Photo credit: gagstreet / Foter / CC BY-SA
Photo credit: Tetra Pak / Foter / CC BY-SA
I know it seems like a silly discussion, but the question of “Should I call them labels or stickers?” does come up quite often.
To be exact, the technical definitions are as follows:
When we talk about a sticker we think of labels that are advertising a product (but not attached to the product itself) or have some sort of art or design, like the label below.
A Label on the other hand is a more general term that we use when it is attached to an item or its packaging. We also use the term label when referring to a racking location label rather than calling it a sticker.
Does it really matter? Not really, as long as no one gets confused by the terminology.
For the most part, Labels or Stickers are made of some sort of a material with an adhesive on the back.
Additional terms we use that come into play and add to the confusion are:
The longest label in the world? Who knows, but a 2000′ Label in 1 Foot Increments has got to be right up there.
When a Geo Fabric distributor sells their materials to large contracting groups, how can each party be assured the right amount of fabric has been accounted for? One of the world’s largest manufacturer of woven synthetics has solved this problem by running a 2,000′ label down the center during production. By adding a measured label to their material as it is being produced, they are assured of dispensing their fabric in precise quantities that are accurate down to fractions of an inch.
Each label roll is marked in 1 foot increments with a digital UV cured ink to withstand outdoor elements on a 1mil plastic with permanent adhesive. Rolls of measuring label stock can be marked in metric or US/imperial measurements.
By Staff Sgt. Lewis Hilburn (http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=132107) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Jeff Vanuga / Photo courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service., via Wikimedia Commons
Warning! Warning! Warning!
What You Need To Know About E-Liquid Warning Labels
In recent years, the e-cigarette market has absolutely taken off. E-liquid companies have sprung up quickly all across the country in every state. Vape cafes are the new coffee shop and can be found in the many trendy parts of town in just about every city.
However, you’ve surely seen an article in the news about how the liquid itself is unsafe when not used as intended. It can be harmful to the skin and eyes if spilled or mistaken for something else. In particular, we’ve seen a case where some unfortunate soul picked up their e-liquid bottle instead of eye drops since they come in very similar sizes and packaging. While he made a full recovery, no one wants to see that happen again.
Pure Abundance Pan Label – Before Label Upgrade
Pure Abundance Pan Label – After Label Upgrade
Pure Abundance produces a high quality vegan cheese that is distributed through upscale retail stores. With Food Product Labels shelf space is limited so it is imperative that the product has a look that draws the customer’s attention quickly.
The cheese is a healthy, natural product which led to the choice of Green color to associate as eco-friendly. During the label upgrade metallic foils were used to give the labels a rich look expected in high-end markets. [Read more…]
There is nothing worse than having your beautifully designed label not stick to your product except having the label you purchased to be removable stick like grim death. There is a huge difference in the label adhesive needed for a retail fiber box vs. a jet engine part.
Using the correct adhesive can literally mean the difference between life or death when trying trace back a bad batch of parts or product to recall.
So where do you begin when deciding what adhesive will work for your situation?
Answering some of these questions will go a long way in steering you in the right direction:
We never know who is on the other end of the line the first time we answer a call requesting help. Some projects are simple bar code tracking labels that we have been making since the early 1980’s, and then there are the projects that creep along for years.
About 4 years ago we received a call about a label needed for a military grade application. After numerous rounds of testing and re-configuring, the label has finally been approved. The point is that sometimes getting the right label for the job is more important than throwing something out there and hoping is sticks (pun intended).
Adding serialization to your labels creates an easy way to track individualized parts, products or assets during their circulation.
The first consideration when starting to serialize is how will the data be used? Questions you should ask are:
Metal TagsMetal tags are used for a variety of reasons, but are most often used when they are in an environment that needs to be highly durable. Metal tags are extremely tough and are best for identification of machinery when delicate paper labels and even durable polyester would not last very long an certain environments where temperatures reach over 400F .
There are several uses for metal tags, but the most common usage is identifying equipment, machinery, and valuables at a glance. Metal tags are rugged enough to handle the stresses of even the nastiest conditions such as acids, radiation or corrosives. Metal tags can come with pre-drilled holes in them that can be used for mounting or can be chained to machinery, pipes, or equipment. [Read more…]
Magnetic LabelsHave you ever labeled a warehouse only to find that some of your location labels need to be moved to a different position? Are you tired of wanting to transfer a label somewhere else, only to find that you need to print a whole new label off?
Well, if that sounds like you, then what you are looking for is magnetic labels.
Labels made of a magnetic material with a printable top surface. These labels are not your cheap refrigerator give away type magnets but heavy duty with a 0.030″ thickness.
There are many, many types of labels out there but do you know what asset labels are? How do they differ from other labels? Are they unique to an industry? What information do they present? Well, to answer your question, asset labels are used to identify maintenance and operational purposes. They are most commonly found in industrial and military industries. Often made of Traffolyte, they are tamper-proof, permanent and frangible. Asset labels usually come with some sort of barcode for electronic reading as well.
Asset labels, and the process of asset labelling, covers a huge range of identification and they are often found on everything from office furniture and equipment to tools, computers, and electronic fixtures. Any time you see a label on a computer with a barcode, or a label on a fire extinguisher, you are seeing an asset label. In some ways, asset labels are one of the most common labels that can be found out there today. In any given day, you probably come across at least one without even realizing it. [Read more…]
For a company, being able to know if a product has been tampered with can not only save time, but money as well. When a cash machine is tampered with, a blue dye explodes out of it. Wouldn’t it be nice if that same principle could be applied to labels?
The problem is that there are customers out there that want to defraud a company. This can be done by shipping back equipment for warranty work after the internal parts of the equipment have been swapped with parts that are out of warranty. Companies work hard to make sure that their product is distinguished from the crowd, but someone will always be trying to copy their brand and make a buck off of it. To know that someone has tampered with a product to modify or hack the design would save companies immense amounts of money. It would allow the company to void any contract, but it would also give the customers peace of mind. Customers want to know that the product has not been opened by someone else, and with tamper proof labels, they get that. [Read more…]
Black and Red Colored Ribbon to Comply with GHS 5609 Mandate for Marine Immersion.
Classifications of chemicals materials has been standardized by the United Nations so as to create a more uniform way to identify hazardous products. In doing so the process of producing product labels for chemicals being shipped around the country and over seas have become a lot more complicated.
Our goal is to help simplify the process by offering a four part solution.
If you are not ready to get into the printing business call us and let us show you how we can be your service bureau printer.
Features:
Bright silver Polyester with Void patterned adhesive is designed to withstand harsh environments and still leave the tell-tale visible VOID pattern on the surface when removed from the substrate.
Works well with a wide range of thermal transfer ribbons. Permanent adhesive gives a good initial adhesion when first applied that gets stronger over time.
Application Ideas:
Automotive, Electronics, Medical Devices, Outdoor Power Equipment, Health Care, Security, Government, Personal Care, Recreational Vehicle, Aerospace, Transportation, Packaging, Foam Fabrication and General Industrial.
Specifications: [Read more…]
Choose your design and materialsIf you do not have a design, our experienced label specialists will guide you through the process to create a design and select materials for custom labels.
We accept spreadsheet and CSV text files. If you do not have a numbering schema, we can help you design one.
Labels are typically printed & ready to ship in 3-5 business days. We carry many
different stocks and lamination films to ensure quick turnaround for your labels.
Our normal turnaround for sequentially numbered labels is less than one week. For
rush orders, we have the capability to produce and ship labels the same day.
A barcode is group of vertical lines that when read by a scanner produce a character or group of characters. When a scanner scans a barcode it is really picking up the reflection of the white space between the black bars.
In the simplest terms, a barcode is used as a locator to a record in a database.
