Technical guides for industrial labelling
Choosing the right material and adhesive isn't always straightforward. These guides answer the most common questions we get from our clients' purchasing and production teams.
Practical technical information for choosing materials, adhesives and industrial labelling solutions.
Which material and which adhesive to choose for the surface, the environment and the way the label will be peeled off.
The surface, the environment, the printing method and the durability required all shape the choice of face material. A step-by-step guide with clear criteria.
“Resistant” only means something once the agent is specified: UV, chemicals, heat up to 500 °C, cryogenic cold, moisture or abrasion. Selection table by agent.
The adhesive is just as important as the face material. Adhesive types, which surfaces each one accepts and how application temperature affects the bond.
The two synthetics most used in industrial labelling have very different profiles. When to use one or the other, and when the difference is irrelevant.
Direct thermal isn't a single material: there are three grades with very different durability and resistance. When to use standard paper, top-coated or thermal PP.
What the die cuts, what the silicone-coated backing is, and how A4 and A5 sheets and rolls are prepared so that the label peels off easily.
Dimensions, hole, thickness, material, printing and format: the details that define a hang tag, and the checklist for ordering one.
Printers, ribbons and software to print your labels on your own premises.
How each technology works, which brands lead each segment, and four key questions to choose the right printer for your process.
What sets the three ribbon types apart, how each one affects print durability, and how to choose the right one for the face material and the environment of use.
Which labels, face materials and ribbons match each Zebra printer model: ZT411, ZT230/ZT231, ZD421, ZD230, ZD220, GK420t and GK420d.
What to do when a label is larger than the 104 mm a 4-inch printer prints: rotate the design, what changes for the barcode and the roll, and 6-inch and 8-inch models.
BarTender, ZebraDesigner, NiceLabel, CODESOFT, Labeljoy and the free software from each brand: what each one does, what it costs and which suits your printer and your volume.
Cold, steam, paint, sea transport and temperature monitoring: what is required and how to specify the label.
Condensation, thermal cycling and adhesives that let go: the three most common failures in cold-chain labelling, and the criteria to avoid them.
What happens inside an autoclave, why standard materials fail, and what specifications a label must meet to withstand it.
What happens to the label in shot blasting, pre-treatment baths, painting and the curing oven, and which material to choose so the code stays readable.
Which areas to mask, when to use tape, discs or plugs, which tape withstands the oven, and how to apply and remove it so the paint edge comes out clean.
What happens to the identification at each stage of the galvanising line, and which tag with no adhesive to choose, fix and print.
What BS 5609 requires of a hazardous substance label: 90 days of immersion in salt water, polyester, acrylic adhesive and resin ribbon.
How they detect a temperature change without a battery or electronics, and their applications in pharma, food and cold-chain logistics.
When an adhesive label is not enough: RFID, hang tags and weld studs.
What an RFID tag is, how it works physically, which frequencies exist (LF, HF, UHF) and what the difference is between passive, active and semi-passive RFID.
A technical guide to industrial hooks for hang tags: six references available, when to use each one and how to choose based on the attachment point and the environment.
A technical guide to weld studs as a consumable: head types (threaded, plain, internal thread), materials (steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass) and specification criteria by substrate and process.
A technical guide to stud welders: capacitor discharge, short-cycle arc and inverter-ceramic arc. When to use each one and which model to choose.
Lockout/tagout of hazardous energies: procedure, padlocks and devices for each isolation point.
Practical lockout/tagout (LOTO) guide: energy sources, the eight steps of the procedure, how to choose the padlock and lockout device for each isolation point, group lockout, tags and…
The four decisions when choosing a lockout padlock: body material, shackle, locking type and key system. With a quick selection table.
Prepare, notify, shut down, isolate, lock out, dissipate, verify and remove. What each step involves and what usually goes wrong. With a summary table.
Electrical energy rarely travels alone. Which isolation point and which device correspond to each energy family, and what to bleed before starting work.
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By material
Polyester, polypropylene, direct thermal, coated paper, high temperature and security. Properties, adhesives and constructions.
See materialsBy need
High temperature, outdoor exposure, chemicals, cold chain, traceability, RFID and tamper-evident. Guidance by specific problem.
See applicationsBy industry
Automotive, chemicals, food, logistics, metals and steel, electronics and wood. Conditions and recommended materials by sector.
See sectorsContact
The more you tell us about the sector, the surface, the environment and the end use, the better we can guide you on material and format from the first contact.
