GET MORE FROM YOUR DURABLE LABELS AND PRINTER
During work hours, we're only a phone call away to provide help and support. However, before the big Christmas break, we wanted to share a small collection of tips that will help you get the most out of your durable labels and in-house printers.
STORING YOUR LABELS:
In order to preserve the life of your durable label adhesive and maximize effectiveness during the application, labels should be ideally stored in a cool dry atmosphere between 17ºC to 21ºC.
If not, the adhesive can become dry, brittle or cured before it is ready to be applied. This can render it ineffective or incompatible for its intended purpose.
We always deliver our labels inside a polythene bag where the labels should remain until they are ready to be used. This helps prevent contamination in the form of dust or fingerprints during storage and transport. Our labels are also marked with a storage 'life expectancy', which you will find on one of our core labels.
FORMING A STRONG BOND:
Depending on the adhesive used in your durable label, it can take up to 72 hours for the permanent adhesive to fully bond with its intended application/surface. Once you have applied the label, allow this time for your label to achieve full bond before attempting to remove or 'test' the strength of your label.
Providing the label has not been contaminated before or during the bonding process, after these 72 hours, you will have a true representation of the label's adhesive capabilities. Not all adhesives are made equal, some adhesives are designed for rough/textured surfaces, while others bond better to smooth surfaces. There isn't a "one size fits all", our labels are bespoke and constructed for their intended application for maximum performance.
PRINTER SETTINGS - HEAT AND SPEED:
When supplying in-house printers for our customers, we are sometimes asked which settings yield the best results. This can vary depending on the printer, material of the label and ribbon but generally, when it comes to the heat and speed of thermal transfer printing, it is always best to print on the lowest speed and a mid to high darkness setting, for maximum quality. You can find the best result by starting high on the speed and low on the darkness, slowly tweaking to find the optimal settings by lowering and raising both options until you achieve the desired print quality.
PRINTER CALIBRATION:
You should always ensure the printer is calibrated before you begin to print onto your labels. Failing to calibrate first will result in a misaligned print, causing label wastage. Most printers will have an option to calibrate the printer once you have set up your ribbon and sensor. Run the calibration and allow the printer to align itself. It will run through multiple labels that you can pull back through the printer once it has adequately calibrated.
We hope this short guide has helped with your durable label usage. If you have any questions, give us a call, freephone 0800 023 9277 or drop us an email. Our experts will be more than happy to help.