Specialized Tags Used in Asset identification: Product Value and Location
Labels, barcodes, and RFID codes are essential to asset identification in a business. Asset identification uses Bluetooth technology to track devices in proximity. Identification and location of an asset or product will lead to higher security and efficiency. RFID codes can even provide real time data on any tagged item. But some tags used for asset identification are built for specific purposes other than solely location tracking or data collection.
Surviving Harsh Environments
RFIDs are designed specifically to thrive in harsh conditions. In more technical fields, these special tags become more and more valuable. For example, American Barcode sells polyimide labels, because polyimide is a material specially designed to withstand high temperatures. This provides the tracking and real-time data services needed to run a business, but fits the needs of high-tech areas like aerospace, electronics, or the automobile industry.
Cryogenic labels (Cryotags) are built to resist both the freezing cold and extreme heat. They are chemically inert, resisting most solvents and acids. This could be used in a lab for storing tissue. There are two kinds of Cryotags. One can be applied at room temperature, then be unaffected as the vial it’s attached to reaches below 0 temperatures. The other can be applied to a vial already at subzero temperatures, straight out of a cryogenic freezer! Either way, these specialized RFIDs are used to provide valuable real-time tracking on important equipment, no matter the environment.
Temperature Indicating
These types of labels are not only a diagnostic tool but also a key component in determining warranty coverage. If a piece of machinery is designed to operate within (or the warranty only covers) a specific temperature, a temperature indicating label can notify the technician if it operated outside that range. This can alert the technician as the cause of failure or even save the money the cost of replacement if it voided the warranty.
Documentation of temperature levels can also be necessary in a vocational field. Rather than using the labels to diagnose a problem or void a warranty, one can use temperature-indicating labels on motors, gears, or electrical equipment. This contributes to efficient product maintenance and longer lifespans of equipment.
Tamper Indicating
A tamper indicating seal is a straightforward mechanism that can play a major role in the protection of your most important assets. It does exactly what it says it does: it indicates if an item has been tampered with. If the seal is broken, it is clear that the device has been tampered with. These seals are perhaps most prominent in the product packaging stage of the supply chain, where it is imperative to know that the product has not been altered since its manufacturing. With food, medications, electronics, and even money, tamper indicating seals are vital to safety and insurance.
Water Indicating
Ever drop your cell phone in the toilet? Chances are, you’ve just voided your warranty. You would think that it takes a certified cell phone technician to check for water damage on a phone (thus voiding the warranty, as is the case with most electronics) but in reality anyone can do it. This is because of special water indicating labels.
Water indicating labels are quite simple, really. The most common use is inside a cell phone, in which the tiny label will change color from white to red if there has been water damage. This allows for the consumer to see what damage they’ve done, but it also determines whether or not service is under a warranty. The labels are a valuable tool for highly efficient diagnostics. AB&R provides them to any company seeking protection of their assets from water damage.
No matter what your problem, AB&R has your solution. Call us today at 1-800-281-3056 to speak with a label expert. For more information on custom and standard label solutions, go to
http://www.abr.com/Company-Information/Content#rid=100.