Label Materials & Adhesives Blog

Everything you need to know about Product Label Lamination Most Commonly Used Laminates Polyester: Most common type of laminate used in the durable product label industry. Excellent heat and chemical resistance UV version for 5+ years outdoors Comes in either a clear gloss or a matte finish Thermal Polyester: Laminate makes any base material thermal printable…

Everything you need to know about Polycarbonate Polycarbonate, also known as Lexan, is an excellent material to enhance the look of any product. No other product label offers as many finishes or thicknesses. It is widely stocked (fast deliveries), easy to process (lower cost), and aesthetically pleasing. Types of Polycarbonate Product Labels Standard Graphic Films:…

Simplifying UL 94 Burn Ratings UL 94 is a plastics flammability standard that contains the following tests: 94HB, 94V, 94VTM, 94-5V, 94HBF, 94HF, and Radiant Panel. Label and overlay manufacturers usually print on plastics and are frequently asked by engineers to use materials that pass the UL 94HB, 94V or 94VTM tests. 94HB HORIZONTAL BURNING…

What are the main reasons product labels do not stick? Here are the most common that Marking Systems Inc. has found for product labels not sticking over our last 40 years of experience: Using the wrong adhesive on the application surface. Even the best adhesives can fail if they are used on the wrong surface.…

What are Newton Rings? Newton rings are a series of concentric circles centered at the point of contact between a curved (non-flat) and a flat surface (like a touch screen). There are three common methods to eliminate Newton’s rings in product label overlays: Leave an air gap between the product label overlay and the display…

What are Foam Inserts? Foam inserts are custom cut shapes that fit into a case and hold in place different objects either during transportation or to help as organizing tools. How are foam inserts created? Cut multiple layers of foam to achieve the depth and shape of the object/tool that needs to fit inside the…

What is Velcro? Velcro is a hook and loop tape that comes in various thicknesses and colors and is typically used for temporarily fastening and securing objects. What Does Velcro Have To Do With Marking Systems Inc.? We are equipped to print product labels on a wide variety of materials including Velcro! When you have…

For clear lenses on your product labels, separate the lens and the 3M VHB adhesive. Manufacturing overlays with a clear window is a difficult task for any product label printer, even MSI. The pictured lens is made from a .080 hard-coated polycarbonate. The problems happen once the protective masking is removed from the print side.…

The product label we are highlighting this month was a special project for our customer that manufacturers industrial-sized water heaters. They had ordered their large thermal label set for many years from another label printing company. Our customer printed the labels in-house and applied them to the metal surfaces of their water heaters. When the…