Labels for varying applications such as inventory, shipping, theft prevention, or overall traceability is necessary with today’s customer demands. How does your business label tools, parts, equipment, products, and inventory?
We suggest following these initial steps on selecting the right barcode label:
Match the Printer with the Media
Match the label to the specific application
Be Consistent – Use the same media to avoid frequently adjusting printer settings
Protect the Printer – Low quality media may harm the printer and lead to higher maintenance and repair costs
Work with the experts – Upfront analysis of your business goals and plans for the future can verify the right media to achieve success
For more information on the full list above, we recommend our article: Selecting the Right Barcode Label
We are going to focus primarily on #2. Match the label to the specific applications.
Label applications may require special adhesives, unique labeling material, and/or a defined print method. There are clients for every industry that come to us with similar problems: they keep losing their labels, labels are not withstanding application conditions, or the lifecycle of the product is outlasting the label. To identify the underlying cause of the issue our clients are experiencing, we do a thorough investigation of their business application and the area of failure. Troubleshooting in this way can surface all kinds of results that may have not been considered. For example, labels peeling or falling off of products could be the adhesive, material facestock/adhesive, or the even the product the label is being placed on. A thorough understanding of the application characteristics can aid in resolving many issues by determining the best solution for that particular situation.
Adhesives run the gamut from those that are made for extreme temperatures and conditions to dispersion adhesives that leave no trace of residue if a label is removed. Make sure you are working with a label provider that understands the differences between adhesives.
One example where the proper label material is a key factor is a tool asset tracking application. Tracking tools and equipment for field workers or as a product can be challenging due to the wide variety of environmental concerns including humidity, heat, grease, etc. The lifecycle of a tool can be lengthy with heavy use, dirt, debris, and even the curvature of a tool can affect how a label will stay on. There are durable, heavy duty metal and aluminum barcode labels available for these types of applications.
Another problem we help clients with is fading or label quality. This can be a very costly problem if your label will not scan easily or is no longer readable. All labels are not created equal. Material facestocks, printer quality, the age of the printhead, and ribbon are just a few places we would investigate to provide a better labeling solution. Whether you’re looking for your label to withstand harsh sunlight and last for only a few days or your label needs to last months in a warehouse of varying climate conditions, the type of label you buy will be different.
You may also have an application that is a direct result of new or changing government regulations. In addition, many industries have their own compliance labeling requirements. Label providers should be highly aware of compliance requirements and know the ins and outs.
We work with clients of all industries, products, and very specific label requirements. From labels and tags for refrigeration or cold storage, on plants or trees, on public-safety fire or bullet-proof apparel, laboratory specimens, to deep sea fish cultivation, AB&R® label specialists have expertise from across a wide spectrum of industries.
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