Custom Labeling Tips

Digitally printed Vinyl & Polyester Warning Label

Radius corners- like those shown above – are an easy, low tech way to discourage a label from being peeled-up.  Corners that have “points” or rectangular edges have more surface area to bring up and it’s easier to “catch” the edge and peel it off of what it is applied to.  (This label is produced in sheets.) Rectangular edges are shown in the image below.

Digitally Printed Polyester Label with Ninety Degree Corners

An experienced label vendor can offer suggestions like adding radius (or rounded) corners when discussing your label quote or when designing your custom durable label.  Radius corners can be cut with steel rule dies or with digital cutting equipment.  Some label vendors – the most experienced – will have a collection of dies that they have acquired over the years and may have many sizes of steel rule dies available for customer use.  You’ll want to have a range of sizes in mind as they may not have the exact size you are thinking of.

Steel rule dies can be cost prohibitive because of the complexity of producing curves like radius corners so be open to the possibility of having your labels, decals and stickers digitally cut.

Digital format cutting is precise and provides smooth edges –  as does steel rule die cutting.

And don’t forget to select the right adhesive!  All of the radius corners in the world can’t help a label adhere if the wrong adhesive is selected.  More on adhesives in future posts.

There are still some custom label vendors opperating in North America that will take small, low volume orders.  Consider the issues mentioned above when discussing the production of the custom durable labels that your project requires.

Shown below are silver labels available in sheets.  The aluminum tag/nameplate/dataplate is not available in sheets or rolls.

Polyester Computer Printable Label Set with Radius Corners

Aluminum Warning Plate with Radius Corners and Rivet Holes

…Last spring you made the yellow labels.  We need more.  Please send a quote ASAP…

Ideally when you reorder you need to have a little more information than that – unless the manufacturer makes only one type of yellow label.

Have the part number (your part number or the manufacturer’s), revision number, and quantity needed.  Something that is extremely helpful when reordering is providing the last PO number the part was ordered with.

Knowing the part number will save you a lot of hassle.  Returning the incorrect part is a chore for the vendor and for you – and it wastes your precious time!

Of course you’ll want to know the price you paid on the last order and the price you’re willing to pay for the new order.

Most label manufacturers have Reorder pages on their websites which is an incredibly easy and convenient way to reorder.  A good label manufacturer will maintain complete materials records, date of manufacture and revisions for a minimum of 10 years.

Hot Tip: ALWAYS get confirmation of your order.  Reputable label manufacturers like Drake Labels in Austin, Texas will email a sales confirmation when an order is received.  These email confirmations enable the manufacturer to follow up with you if they have any questions about the order. What’s the old saying – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?  Don’t be the buyer whose production line is down because you didn’t confirm the order for the company logo label with the label maker.

Digital cutting equipment eliminates the need for steel rule dies for some label applications. Die-less cutting is effectively used to cut custom shapes and complex curves.  Eliminating steel rule dies can cut hundreds of dollars from your project’s budget!

Options that in the past have proved costly  – curves, details and complex shapes – can make your custom label shine and can be cut quickly and easily with digtital equipment.  Digital cutting leaves accurate and smooth edges. Digitally cut labels are available on sheets and rolls.

Digitally cut label (in blue and green) applied to powder coated computer server bezel (black) manufactured by Drake Labels

Some labels and overlays, however, require the use of a clamshell press and steel rule dies.

Steel Rule Die Cut Overlay with Windows and Rivet Holes

Choose a label vendor that is versatile and can perform work with steel rule dies and digital cutting equipment.

An experienced vendor like Drake Labels  is the kind of custom shop that can offer several cutting options: digital or  a traditional clam shell die press.  They will also perform assembly services upon request leaving your people free for more important tasks.  Simple options like weeding waste material or leaving it in place give you the flexibility to spend more on important details like quantities or optional overlays.

Hot Tip:  Ask your label vendor if they will open up their library of steel rule dies to customers at no additional charge.  Some vendors are clued in enough to offer it – others don’t know how marketable their libraries are but may “loan” your project a die free of charge upon request.

Vinyl Removable Label with Polyester Overlay

Drake can customize your labels and die cut to customer design, including color choices of clear vinyl and CMYK (white, black, red, orange, yellow, blue, green).  Reusable vinyl labels and decals are available in thicknesses of .005″ to .030″ and .010″ to .060″. 

Vinyl static cling labels are water resistant , color safe and are ideal for environments that are exposed to large amounts of sun light.

Drake removable vinyl marking solutions can be found in industries such as automotive, avionics, aerospace, NASA, oil/gas and industrial/manufacturing.

Drake Labels offers standard and rush production times on prototypes as well as low- and mid-volume orders.  Contact Drake Labels to discuss your next labeling project. 800.531.5073, 512.610.1170.

 Quotes are always free.  quotes@drake.com

Lexan® – a polycarbonate material - is an excellent material for computer overlays.  It is widely used on control panels, membrane switches, nameplates, prototypes, serial tags, and overlays for product marking solutions.

Drake’s  Lexan® labels and overlays are designed to maintain longevity, appearance, legibility and functionality of information under tough weather conditions and in chemical environments.

Printed, die cut to customer design, and PMS color matched – Lexan® product marking solutions are available in thicknesses of .005″ to .030″.   A variety of adhesive options are supported as are variable data such as barcode, 2D Matrix and serial information.

 Product marking solutions from Drake Labels can be found in industries such as oil/gas, oceanic/nautical, military, industrial/manufacturing, government, consumer electronics, avionics, and NASA/aerospace.

Ask about Drake’s Custom Assembly services – our staff will apply labels, decals, overlays and nameplates onto your products.  Drake Labels also offers Certificates of Compliance (RoHS, CSA and UL) and Certificates of Origin upon request.

Start your next labeling project with a consultation with the experienced professionals at Drake Labels or use the online Reorder form at www.drake.com. quotes@drake.com 800.531.5073 or 512.610.1170

Pictured above is a polyester Warning label used aboard a military aircraft.  The label is manufactured from polyester with a polyester overlaminate.　

This is a UL (Underwriter’s Lab) certified label and it meets mil-spec MP-201c. 　Drake Labels works regularly with military specifications, special designs and material requirements. Their ork on military projects ranges from non-combat to combat equipment.

Mylar®/polyester applications can be printed and die cut to customer design – including PMS color matching. Drake Mylar®/polyester product marking solutions can be found in industries such as aerospace/NASA, avionics, consumer electronics, government, industrial/manufacturing, military, oceanic/nautical and oil/gas and are available in thicknesses of .002″ to .010″. 

Mylar®/polyester labels will maintain a professional glossy or matte appearance in harsh environments such as constant moisture/humidity, sunlight and heat/UV exposure. Serial and barcode information – as well as other variable data - are easily supported, as is a ‘write-on’ surface option.

Drake Labels has manufactured durable labels, decals, and nameplates for aerospace and defense applications since its founding in 1966.　They have the expertise to recommend the appropriate materials for your durable label projects.　 Quotes are always free.　 Drake Labels can be reached at quotes@drake.com or 800.531.5073/512.610.1170.

OEM and VAR servers now have a complete appliance branding solution that is comprised of custom skins or custom painted Dell server bezels, logo/badge production, and assembly. Drake Labels in Austin, Texas is the industry leader with this striking and memorable branding solution for rackmount servers and server appliances.

Your original artwork – logos and the like – is printed on an aluminum or polycarbonate base/badge.   Logo badges are applied to the rackmount server bezels.  Take branding a step further with painting the bezel with  your company color or match a PMS color in your logo.  Also available is the option to wrap the server bezel with a custom “skin”.

Aluminum Custom Server Badge.

The easiest and most cost effective way to accomplish this is with a vendor that will perform the assembly (disassembling the bezel to paint it or attach the custom skin and re-assemble with the logo badges).

Find a vendor that will work directly with you or a contract manufacturer.  Drake Labels offers standard and rush production times on prototypes as well as low- and mid-volume orders. Materials are RoHS compliant and RoHS documentation is provided upon request.

Today product identification needs an extra boost and that is easily accomplished with a vendor like Drake Labels.  This company is also the most experienced with this branding solution as they have been providing this service since 2000.  

Drake personnel are ready to provide your custom server branding solutions.  Contact Drake Labels by email Quotes@drake.com or call 800.531.5073 for more information. Quotes are always free.

Aluminum labels are finding a home with a new technology:  solar powered systems.

Manufactured from 20 mil photo sensitive aluminum (with 5 mil 3M adhesive), the label pictured above is another example of the Metalphoto® process.    Metalphoto® burns images into metal rather than printing onto metal.  The integrity of the metal is not damaged by this process and the images can’t be scratched off of nameplates and labels.

Drake Labels in Austin, Texas can answer your questions and thoroughly discuss your project’s needs.  Drake can be contacted at 800.531.5073 / 512.610.1170 or quotes@drake.com

2D Matrix labels – also referred to as Data Matrix labels – encode raw data/text  into “cells” in a rectangular pattern. This new generation of automatic identification technology is improving the ease of use of bar code labels.

Pictured above, the Data Matrix format is increasingly popular because it allows for large amounts of data to be stored in a very small area.  This matrix barcode label is manufactured from polyester on a Hot Stamp machine.  The matrix symbol measuring 3mm x 3mm can store up to fifty characters.  Larger formats are also available – up to three feet square.

Data collection on a large scale has never been this easy.  Data Matrix labels can be used with traditional barcode readers or ”smart” phones.  Smart phone & iPad applications are available to scan and transmit data in seconds.

Custom Data Matrix labels are being manufactured quickly and easily to your exact specifications by Drake Labels.  Drake has the capability to produce small or large quantities of custom labels.   Suit your company’s needs with poleyster, aluminum, Lexan®, or vinyl Data Matrix labels. 

These labels are necessary for any industry that needs durable, custom labels: advertising, promotions, fundraising; aerospace; airlines & avionics; consumer & packaged-goods; government; industrial manufacturing; medical & pharmaceutical; military;  oil & gas; regulatory & compliance; scientific & oceanic; and storage.

Drake Labels is a turn-key manufacturer of custom labels including  2D/Data Matrix.  Use Drake’s knowledge and products to simplify collection of data for your company. 

Contact Drake Labels at 800.531.5073 or quotes@drake.com.