As far as
labels word is concerned , it can be defined as A label is a piece of
paper ,cloth polymer or metallic , or other material affixed to a
container or article, on which is printing a legend, information
concerning the product, addresses, etc. A label may also be printed
directly on the container or article.
Labels have many uses:
products identification, name tags, advertising, warnings, and other
communication. Special types of labels called barcode or digital
labels (printed through a digital printing or through barcode printer
can also have special constructions such as
RFID hard or soft tags , Security printing by means of code or holograms
•
Thermal - direct thermal label stock will change color (usually black)
when heated. A heating element in the shape of letters or images can be
used to create an image on the label. Custom labels can be easily be
made on location in this way. A disadvantage is durability, because
another heat source can ruin or obscure the image, or it may fade
completely over time.
• Thermal Transfer for applications that cannot use #Thermal
(Thermal Direct) label material because of heat source proximity or
short label life, a more widely used material is Thermal Transfer Label
printer. This material has the advantage of a much longer readable life
and does not fade with time or heat. Most major manufacturers of Thermal
Printers can be used for either Thermal Transfer (TT) or Thermal (DT)
labels. A
thermal transfer ribbon will be required to print the labels.
The cost of the #ribbons + TT labels is similar to that of the DT labels on their own.
•
None - labels can be printed directly on adhesive without using a
substrate. Labels made in this manner are extremely fragile, however,
and have been rendered virtually obsolete by other printing methods such
as silk screen.
• Thermal Transfer Ribbon Types
o Wax is the most popular with some smudge resistance, and is suitable for matte and semi-gloss paper labels.
o Wax / Resin is smudge resistant, suitable for semi-gloss paper and some synthetic labels.
o Resin is scratch and chemical resistant, suitable for coated synthetic labels.
The stock type will affect the types of ink that will print well on them.
Corona treating or flame treating some plastics makes them more receptive to inks and adhesives by reducing surface tension.
Application and use
A typical thermal label printer
Labels can be supplied:
• separately
• on a roll
• on a sheet
Many
labels are per-printed by the manufacturer. Other have printing applied
manually or automatically at the time of application.
Some labels
have protective overcoats, laminates, or tape to cover them after the
final print is applied. This is sometimes before application and
sometimes after.
Labels are often difficult to peel and apply. Most companies use a Label dispenser to speed up this task.
Specialized high speed application equipment is available for certain uses.
Colour:-
Ink
and base stock color choices commonly conform to the Pan tone Matching
System (PMS) colors. The Pan tone system is very dominant in the label
printing industry. Additionally specialty inks such as metallic, UV ink,
magnetic ink, and more are available. Ink is usually transparent
however it can be made opaque. It has been known for certain companies
to patent "their own" color. [1]. Digital labels use process colors to
replicate Pan tone solid colors.
Specialized labels
• Piggyback
labels are made from combining two layers of adhesive substrate The
bottom layer forms the backing for the top. The label can be applied to
any object as normal, the top layer can be a removable label that can be
applied elsewhere, which may change the message or marking on the
remaining label underneath. Often used on Express mail envelopes.
• Smart labels have #RFID chips embedded under the label stock.
•
Asset Labels / Tags are used for marking fixed and non-fixed assets.
They are usually tamper-evident, permanent or frangible and usually
contain a barcode for electronic identification using readers.
• Blockout labels are not see-through at all, concealing what lies underneath with a strong gray adhesive.
•
Radioactive labels The use of radioactive isotopes of chemical
elements, such as carbon-14, to allow the in vivo tracking of chemical
compounds.
• Laser Labels are generally die cut on 8.5" x 11"
sheets, and come in many different shapes, sizes , and materials. Laser
label material is a nonporous stock made to withstand the intense heat
of laser printers and copiers.
• Inkjet Labels are generally die
cut on 8.5" x 11" sheets (US letter) and a4 size, and come in many
different shapes, sizes, and materials. Inkjet label material is a
porous stock made to accept ink and dye from your inkjet printer. One of
the more modern inkjet label material stocks is waterproof printable
inkjet material commonly used for soap or shower gel containers.
•
Security Labels are used for anti-counterfeiting, brand protection,
tamper-evident seals, anti-pilferage seals, etc. These combine a number
of overt and covert features to make reproduction difficult. The use of
security printing, holography, embossing, bar codes, RFID chips, custom
printing, weak (or weakened) backings, etc. is common. They are used for
authentication, theft reduction, and protection against counterfeit and
are commonly used on ID cards, credit cards, packaging, and products
from CDs to electronics to clothing.
• AntiMicrobial Labels With
the growth in hospital acquired infections such as MRSA and E-Coli the
use of Antimicrobial labels in infection sensitive areas of hospitals
are helping in combating these types of microbes.
Stickers
Stickers
are very widely used when an object requires identification with a word
or idea. Brand stickers may be attached to products to identify these
products as coming from a certain company. They may also be used to
describe characteristics of the products that would not be obvious from
simple examination. A Label dispenser is often used as a convenient way
to separate the sticky label from its liner or backing tape.
They are
frequently distributed as part of promotional, advertising, and
political campaigns; for example, in many voting districts in the U.S.,
stickers indicating an individual has voted are given to each voter as
they leave the polling, placeslargely as a reminder to others to vote.
Other methods of underground forms of voting for your favorite graffiti
artists' current productions are by an open form of appreciation such as
clapping while passing such a sticker (a smile and a kind reminder to a
fellow appreciator throughout the day is commonplace as well).
Stickers
placed on automobile bumpers, called bumper sticker , are often used by
individuals as a way of demonstrating support for political or
ideological causes. Identification of vehicle registration and last
service details are two examples of stickers on the inside of most car
windscreens. The term "window sticker" is generally used for vinyl
labels which are stuck to the inside of a vehicle's window, as opposed
to water-resistant stickers that are stuck to the outside of a vehicle
but can be affixed to anything.
