Environments

To find the right label material and adhesive for your application can involve a number of factors, one of which is the environment in which you need to apply your label. Most commonly environments for labelling can vary in terms of whether the label is to be used indoors or outdoors, in low or high temperatures, or may require performance in harsh environments involving weather, oils or chemicals.

Indoor Environments

Labels that are stored indoors need to be able to cope with all sorts of environments, from a cold warehouse that may be damp and untreated to a food factory environment that needs to allow for minor temperature decreases.

Not only do labels indoors need to be able to cope with the extremes of sub zero temperatures in such applications as freezer and cryogenically cooled environments but labels also need to be able to cope with high temperature applications.

Harsh Environments

AM Labels can provide specialist labels for use in harsh environments where labels need to withstand demanding conditions, typically synthetic materials such as polyester and polypropylene are used in harsh conditions. Whether it’s resistance to moisture, temperature, abrasion, chemicals or oils in warehousing, waste treatment facilities or even a automotive company, there are specialist labels that will withstand extreme conditions.

High Temperature Environments

Specialist labels are available for use in high temperature environments, with dedicated materials and adhesives available to withstand heats up to 1000 degrees.

Specialist Applications include:

• Autoclave labelling

  In this environment, the label needs to be able to withstand temperatures of heat and steam of up to 132 degrees.

• PCB labelling,

  the label needs to withstand short term bursts of heat up to 280 degrees.

• Steel labelling,

  label slabs, blooms and bars, coils (hot), billets and wires.

• Aluminium labelling,

  labelling sows & pigs, coils (hot & cold), ingots, other aluminum reheating processes

Low Temperature Environments

Specialist labels are available for use in low temperature environments, with dedicated freezer adhesive and a variety of paper or synthetic materials. Materials are available for temperatures as low as -196 degrees for applications including cryogenic labels that need to withstand liquid nitrogen, typically used for applications within clinical and hospital laboratories. It is extremely important that items are correctly labelled and can withstand freezing temperatures, so that labels remain attached to the item and the information is clearly legible.

Cleanroom Environments

AM Labels can provide specialist labels for use in cleanroom environments, including labels designed for different classes of cleanrooms, extreme hot and cold temperatures and sterile conditions.

Cleanroom labels are produced to meet the rigorous standards for on-demand printing solutions in cleanroom environments. This line of labels answers the call for environmental purity in a broad range of manufacturing environments, from biotechnology laboratories to breweries.

Designed in actual cleanroom environments, the products are available in a variety of label formulations, including permanent, removable, and ultra-removable adhesives. The solutions meet the cleanroom needs of virtually all industries, including pharmaceutical, automotive, aerospace, and electronics.

Chemical Environments

Specialist labels are available that will resist damage by chemicals, typically made from polypropylene, they can utilise either permanent or removable adhesive, giving an option for those customers that want to be able to remove the label without leaving a residue.

Chemical drum labels are a typical example, made from a polypropylene material to suit drums that are made from different materials ranging from steel to plastic and are left out in extreme weather conditions.  Use with a chemical resistant resin ribbon in thermal transfer printing to ensure that the print is resistant to chemicals.

To learn more about the most recent chemical labelling regulations please click here

Outdoor Environments

Materials that are outside will deteriorate faster than indoor labels; this is due to the extremes of temperature, the label will need to be able to cope with the high temperatures in summer months and the freezing temperatures in the winter as well as the effects of the wind, rain and snow. Labels used outside are typically a synthetic material such as polypropylene or polyester, depending on the surface you require the label to stick to will determine the material choice.

Labels outside also need to be UV resistant as UV light will make certain inks fade, in particular those printed with inkjet inks will change colour once exposed to sunlight.  The ink used on labels in outdoor in environments also needs to be water resistant due to the effects of rain and snow – this can be achieved in thermal transfer printing used a resin ribbon.