Armor - Imprint Enterprises - Since 1975

Superior Label Printing With Armor Ribbons

imprint — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 20:47:10 +0000

Are you a manufacturer or distributor who needs to print-on-demand labels for your business? Do those labels need to be sustainable in all types of weather conditions and various degrees of handling?

If printing on-demand labels is a requirement for your business, you want to be able to read the print to ensure deliverability. Ideally, it would be best to have something resistant to humidity, solvents, temperature, and tension. If you need to meet regulatory compliance or customer compliance, it is critical that your labels and barcode scan.

You can enjoy labels that deliver when printing with a high-quality printer such as a Zebra or Honeywell and printing with Armor ribbons.

Many ribbons appear to provide quality printing, but they fail. When the label is not readable when the product is delivered, the entire shipment is returned. You may have saved a few dollars buying a cheaper ribbon, but it will cost thousands of dollars in fines and other costs. In the end, you lose money, and you could face legal ramifications.

As a global distributor of label printers, Imprint provides Zebra printers using high-quality Armor ribbons as part of their thermal transfer printing process to ensure labels will be easy to read when they arrive at their destination. Armor ribbons will save you money in the long run.

What Is Thermal Transfer Printing

Thermal transfer printers use ribbons. There are three types of Thermal Transfer ribbons: wax, wax-resin, or full resin. All three types have wax and resin but the ratios of wax and resin change as you progress through the durability scale. Even Armor's plain wax ribbon is “resin enhanced” to give better durability than a standard wax.

Thermal transfer printers use ribbons to create the image on the material. The ribbons are made of wax, wax-resin, or full resin ink that melts onto the surface of the print media (a label or other material) and creates a high-quality image that lasts, providing unmatched printing durability and quality.

Thermal transfer printing is perfect for long-term applications where the print media will be exposed to harsh conditions such as high temperatures, water, chemicals, and light. Or if it needs to last more than six months.

You can match different types of ribbons to various label materials for maximum durability.

Armor provides all three types of ribbons.

Wax Ribbons

Wax ribbons print on coated or uncoated paper stock. The least expensive of the three thermal transfer ribbons are also less durable than the other two.

Armor’s wax ribbon is more durable than most because it is “resin enhanced” to give better durability than the average standard wax ribbon. We use this enhanced product in 75% of all applications.

Wax-Resin Ribbons

Wax resin ribbons are a popular choice. They are a bit more expensive than the wax ribbons but significantly more durable.

Wax-resin ribbons work great on a wide range of material types and provide a high-quality image suited for shipping labels, barcode labels, pharmaceutical labels, and shelf and bin labels.

Resin Ribbons

Resin ribbon is generally intended for use on non-paper, synthetic stocks and will offer the highest durability of any ribbon type.

The extreme durability offered makes pure resin ribbons a strong choice for labeling very sensitive medical applications, other regulatory applications, and chemicals.

Printing Problems

Manufacturers who use the wrong type of printing or printing ribbon can cause various problems for consumers and businesses.

What if you couldn't see the label on your car parts? Your mechanic won’t know what parts are needed to fix your car.
Expiration dates are missing on food products, so it ends up in the trash.
The printer ribbon's inferior print quality can lead to several causes that would shut down a line. Shutting lines down costs money and valuable time.
Products cannot be delivered due to smudged or blurred print and are returned.

These are just a few of the many problems that can be caused by inferior ribbon quality.

Who Should Use Thermal Transfer Printing?

Thermal transfer ribbons are more or a durable image than direct thermal printing on all label types.

If you have to meet regulatory compliance or customer compliance, it is critical that your labels and barcodes scan. You may face legal ramifications or fines if they are not scannable on delivery.

Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether printing with a thermal transfer ribbon is in your best interest.

- - Do you need to print on various mediums?
  - Do you need to include the UL symbol as part of the label?
  - Do you need to trace the product's life cycle from the manufacturer through use until destruction with a unique identification code?
  - Do you need to ensure deliverability?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, a thermal transfer ribbon is your best option.

Thermal transfer printing with a ribbon does the following:

- - It gives you the ability to print on coated paper, synthetics, textile, or flexible packaging.
  - Passes all UL tests – the printed logo, UL, means that the components (printing material, adhesive, and printing ink) used for the labeling passed all UL tests.
  - Essential technical and or legal information is displayed on the name-plates and is required to remain fixed to the product and legible throughout its life cycle.

Provides traceability data to guarantee product compliance and quality throughout the product life cycle. Helping to ensure regulations are met to keep people and goods safe.

Thermal transfer ribbons also protect against premature printhead wear.

Top Quality Ribbons By Armor

Thermal Transfer is a robust, reliable, and competitive printing technology for marking barcode traceability data, serial and batch numbers, etc.

Using inks capable of withstanding handling, friction, heat, solvents, and other demanding environments for a long life-cycle provides the durability of secure traceability data.

All ribbons developed by Armor are tested on every thermal transfer printer available. Armor has the perfect ribbon for printing on rough, coated, plastic, synthetic, textile papers, and more.

All the requirements for print durability, fineness of characters, and printed information legibility for printing traceability labels are met with Armor thermal transfer ribbons.

Mike Hess, VP of Operations and HR at Imprint, commented, “Quality counts! People are paying fines every day because they don't purchase quality ribbons. You might think you are saving money by buying a $6 or $8 ribbon, but if you end up paying a $100,000 fine, you have lost money big time.”

Advantages of Using Armor Ribbons

In industrial environments, products are subject to significant stress. It is vitally important that the labels remain legible no matter what happens to the packaging. It needs to be delivered without errors, gaps, omissions, or deterioration. All messaging needs to be intact for delivery success.

Armor offers competitive ribbons for price-sensitive applications, standard ribbons for optimal performance, and specialized ribbons for highly demanding applications.

Armor ribbons are priced competitively, compatible with various printer configurations, and meet regulatory requirements in multiple industries, including distribution, household appliances, logistics, automotive, food processing, machine tools, health, cosmetics, electronics, chemicals (GHS Regulations), aeronautics, and textiles.

Deliverability Improves With Armor Ribbons

Three things are needed for a long-lasting label. You need to have a quality printer, template, and quality ribbon combined for success. At Imprint, we work with you to ensure your Zebra printer works correctly, your template is exemplary, and we supply Armor ribbons. When working with us and using Armor ribbons, you will have a quality image when printing labels to ensure deliverability.

Imprint uses Armor Thermal Transfer Ribbons to mark variable information on flexible packaging and labels such as barcodes, logos, expiry dates, batch numbers, and more. This data is essential to identify products, ensure traceability through varying life cycle stages, and provide vital information for the end-user.

You can enjoy improved deliverability and less downtime saving your business money with a minimal increase in costs by choosing Armor ribbons for your thermal transfer printing needs.

Contact Imprint for more information on Thermal Transfer Printing, Armor Ribbons, and how they can improve your printing.

For More Information

Contact: sales@Imprint-E.com

(855) 745-4464

The post Superior Label Printing With Armor Ribbons first appeared on Imprint Enterprises - Since 1975.

What to Keep in Mind When Creating Cannabis Labels

imprint — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 11:21:10 +0000

What to Keep in Mind When Creating Cannabis Labels and Tags

As medical and recreational cannabis becomes legal in more and more states, the need for growers has increased. Because it is still strictly regulated and controlled, any agriculturalist looking to break into this booming market needs to understand the requirements for cannabis labels, so they can ensure that they remain in compliance with laws and make sure their labels are durable and readable in any environment.

When choosing your cannabis labels, here are a few things to consider.

Choose a Vendor with Expertise

The most important step is to ensure you work with a vendor who can provide you with top-quality cannabis label supplies and media that can meet all legal requirements and will stay intact throughout the supply chain. Legality varies from state to state, so it’s important to work with a vendor partner that is familiar with the shifting laws in your state, who can get you started, and also alert you to any labeling requirement changes down the road.

Labels for Identification and Traceability

Most states require cannabis labels to have a unique identifier that provides the lot number, barcode, serial number, batch number, or other data that specifies the product’s origins. RFID technology can be used as an effective track-and-trace solution for mother/daughter plant traceability. Traceability is crucial for tracking drug efficacy and the continuation of your plants DNA strands.

This helps to identify the product from seed to sale. This is also important in the event of a recall, so every item can be traced and properly accounted for. Imprint partners with Armor to provide traceability solutions that remain legible through seed to sale.

For more information about the barcode labeling process, download our e-book: 5 Steps to Simplify the Barcode Labeling Process

What to Include on Your Cannabis Labels

Each state has its own regulations dictating what must be included on cannabis labels. While there is no national legislation that currently outlines what the rules and regulations are for selling cannabis, many states have overlapping rules. Some of the most common are:

Warnings

Many states require that cannabis labels have some form of warning stating that the product has intoxicating effects, may impair abilities, and may be habit-forming.

Retailer/Manufacturer Identification

This information is used to identify where the cannabis was grown and the license number of the grower, as well as any other pertinent information.

Dates

Often, states will require the date of cultivation, manufacture, final testing, packaging, dispensing, harvesting, and the expiration or “use by” date.

Ingredients

For flowers, concentrates, and tinctures, states usually require cannabis labels to include a profile of terpenes and percentages of the different cannabinoids, such as THCA, CBD, and CBDA, found within the product.

Weight

Most states set a limit on how much product can be purchased by a single person, so the weight of the product is necessary to include in the label.

Product info

This is where the unique identification data will be listed, and it will generally include a unique serial number and lot number, as well as the strain, batch, and quantity.

Recipient info

Sometimes, the name of the recommending physician, patient information, or registered caregiver will be required at the time the product is sold.

Directions for use

Similar to other forms of medication, it is important to outline how the product should be used safely and what its intended use is on cannabis labels.

Proper storage and handling

States may not require this across the board, but it’s good to include this information on the label so carriers, dispensaries, and patients can ensure quality.

Labeling text

There are many guidelines for how the packaging and labeling text should appear in terms of size, placement, legibility, and design.

The cannabis market is booming, and more and more agriculturalists are looking to get a piece of the pie. Successful growers know that it is a worthwhile endeavor to break into this market, but it is also difficult, as nationwide legalization hasn’t yet passed and state regulations are consistently changing. Make sure you choose a vendor like Imprint Enterprises, to stay up-to-date on laws and regulations for cannabis labels.

Want to learn more? Contact Imprint Enterprises today.

The post What to Keep in Mind When Creating Cannabis Labels first appeared on Imprint Enterprises - Since 1975.

How to Choose the Right Rating Plate Labels

imprint — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 13:00:44 +0000

Rating plate labels are required on electrical appliances and devices. These labels look more like placards made from plastic or metal, and they carry critical information. When it comes to rating plate labels, you want to make sure you choose the right high-quality media.

Here’s what you should consider when choosing.

Must be UL-Certified

More often than not, these labels are tested and certified under the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 969 label and marking standard, and bear the signature “UL” mark to prove it. UL is one of the most popular and leading certification companies in North America. A UL-certified, or “enhanced mark” label can be scanned by consumers to look up safety standards that the product has been tested and certified against. This is an important quality, because it allows consumers to have more confidence in the devices and products they are purchasing and using.

A UL-certified label has to have a UL-approved construction, which lists out all the key elements of the label, such as substrate, inks, printing processes, decorative finishes, manufacturing location, and more.

Can it Maintain Data Legibility?

Because these rating plate labels carry such important data, it’s critical that the label can remain legible and intact during all stages of the product lifecycle. From manufacturing to utilization, repair, and recycling, the data on each label needs to be clear and the label itself must be durable enough to resist damage.

If labels are damaged, faded, or scratched, it can interfere with the identification of parts during an item’s repair. It could cause the product to be used inappropriately or even dangerously. That’s why it’s so important to choose your rating plate inks and media carefully.

Watch the video to learn more about Armor and Imprint Enterprises: Thermal Transfer Ribbons

Can it Provide Resistance to Demanding Environments?

The nature of the products that contain rating plate labels means that labels are more likely than not to come into contact with hazard materials and demanding environments. These labels are found on a wide range of products, so it’s not enough for a label to withstand the rigors of some environments—it needs to be able resist damage in all types of environments.

While you can’t predict every single environment your labels will be used in, here are some likely hazards you want to make sure you can protect against:

Abrasion
Solvents
Heat
Fats
Cold
UV

Hazardous Materials Labeling Requirements

Some appliances require the application of Globally Harmonized System (GHS) labels to indicate health, physical, and environmental hazard information as well as protective measures. Depending on which country your shipping your goods to, and the method you ship them, you may be under the regulations of GHS.

Choosing Your Labels:

You oversee the manufacturing of your products and initial application of your rating plate labels, but once the device is sent out, you may not know whether your labels remain intact and legible throughout the product lifespan. Because of this reason, it’s crucial that you choose only the best, highest-quality labels and media meant for the application.

Imprint Enterprises partners with Armor to provide the proper labeling solutions and guidance to manufacturers that print their own GHS and UL Component labels in-house to make sure you stay compliant with UL and GHS standards, and your labels maintain high print quality and label durability. For more information on rating plate labels and compliance, contact Imprint Enterprises today.

The post How to Choose the Right Rating Plate Labels first appeared on Imprint Enterprises - Since 1975.

3 Things You Need to Know about Medical Device Labeling

imprint — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 12:00:44 +0000

Unique Device Identifiers (UDI) labels are crucial for medical device labeling, primarily because they improve patient safety. However, the advantages of UDI don’t stop there. They help modernize device post-market surveillance, facilitate the medical device information, and even help hospitals improve internal efficiencies through improved device tracking.

While UDI labels are critical for medical device labeling, it can be difficult to understand such a complex topic. Here’s a brief overview to help you understand UDI labels.

1. Understanding UDI Labels

UDIs are included on device labels and packages with the purpose of adequately identifying medical devices sold in the US. These identify and track devices every step of the way, from manufacturing to patient use.

The FDA requires device labelers to include a UDI on device labels and packages. If the device is intended to be used more than once, and if it will be reprocessed before each use, the UDI must be marked directly on the device. That information must then be submitted to the Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID).

To make sure you correctly submit the information, you need to first understand the UDI format for medical device labeling. The UDI is a unique numeric or alphanumeric code that consists of:

Device identifier—a mandatory, fixed portion of a UDI that identifies the labeler and the specific version or model of a device.
Production identifier—a conditional, variable portion of a UDI that identifies a lot or batch number, serial number, expiration date, date of manufacture, or any other distinct code.

2. Medical Device Labels Must Withstand Aggressive Environments

Especially in the medical industry, any label will likely be subjected to various environments and substances that threaten its legibility. Certain sterilization processes like autoclave will subject the ink and the label to extreme temperatures that could damage labels that are low in quality. Additionally, alcohol and other chemical cleaning solutions are used multiple times a day during patient care to sterilize devices and supplies.

Because of this, it is critical that labels withstand humidity, high temperatures, and harmful chemicals while still remaining perfectly legible. The only way to ensure this is by using high-quality materials and media for your medical device labels.

For more information about the barcode labeling process, download our e-book: 5 Steps to Simplify the Barcode Labeling Process.

3. Extending Traceability Lifetime

From manufacturing through distribution and patient use, UDI medical device labeling enhances device traceability in many ways:

Reducing medical errors—If device data is tied to patient identification, providers can ensure the right device is issued to the right patient.
Enhancing device analysis—UDI can be used as a standard way to document the device use in electronic health records and clinical information systems.
Accurate device reporting—When adverse events occur, they can be reported and linked to specific devices, which can quickly uncover potential issues.
Improving Recalls—UDI allows for specific devices to be tracked to the point of use, which helps when managing medical device recalls.

Navigating the complicated maze of regulations and requirements for UDI compliance can be tricky. It’s important that you understand what is required of you and how to keep your medical device labeling processes compliant. By doing so, you won’t just be covering all your basis, but you will be reaping the benefits as well.

Imprint Enterprises partners with Armor to provide the guidance and supplies you need to navigate UDI compliance and to assist you with your medical device labeling needs. For more information, contact Imprint Enterprises today.

The post 3 Things You Need to Know about Medical Device Labeling first appeared on Imprint Enterprises - Since 1975.