Labeling equipment
Pressure-sensitive adhesives have been used since the late nineteenth century mainly for medical tapes and dressings. Industrial tapes were introduced onto the market in the 1920s and 1930s, and self-adhesive labels in 1935. Various end uses are known for labels, but a label is always information medium. Some of the end uses are general, classic application fields where pressure-sensitive adhesives labels replaced wet adhesive labels or other products designed to place information or aesthetic, decorative elements on a product surface. Others are new domains where only a pressure-sensitive product can meet practical requirements.
Application conditions:
The conditions under which pressure sensitive adhesives are applied differ according to the sensivity of adhesive. The application conditions for labels depend on the product to be labeled, the labeling method, and the type of label. Among the product's characteristics, its surface has special importance in application. Application conditions include the application temperature, environment, and speed of application.
Application methods for labels:
Labels are applied manually or by labeling machines. Generally, labeling quality depends on the machine, the label components, and the substrate. According to Grebe, labeling is influenced by the labeling system, substrate surface, label material, adhesive, and transport and storage conditions.
The application of pressure-sensitive labels is a cold lamination. It involves the use of an adhesive-backed carrier on a release liner. Equipment for this method varies from hand-fed units to sophisticated equipment with automatic feeders and cutoffs. Sometimes the labeling device is a component of bag-making equipment, corrugated and folding carton converting machinery, envelope machinery, or engraving equipment. The release from the liner should be adequate to prevent the predisposing of labels but not so tight as to cause the web to break or the liner to tear. Tear-sensitive labels with low mechanical resistance are dispensed by machine also. Pressure-sensitive labels for tamper-evident application have to be applied automatically.
In the label industry, a difference exists between roll and sheet laminates. Requirements are generally less critical for roll applications. Sheet application needs pressure-sensitive adhesive with sufficient anchorage to prevent pulling out but sufficiently low tack level to prevent gumming of the guillotine. Labeling machines for roll and sheet labels have been developed. Labeling speeds as high as 240 labels min are achieved. Application of small roll labels needs almost no mechanical lamination. As is known from pressure sensitive adhesive testing practice, a loop tack test simulates the real application conditions of labels. They are blown onto a surface using air pressure.
A special case of label application is in-mold labeling where the item to be labeled is applied to the solid-state static label. Hot stamping can be used for in-mold labeling also. Microprocessor-controlled pressure sensitive adhesive label application offers variable speed settings to match product requirements and may have a special dispensing edge and a collapsible backing paper rewind. Where a high degree of conformability is desired, flexible label stock such as saturated paper should be used.
Classification of labels:
Labels can be classified according to their main performance characteristics related to application conditions or special application field. In their application field they may have different end uses, automotive labels, temperature labels in the category of technological labels, tamper-evident labels or non-destructible labels in the category of antitheft labels, have to support special climatic or temperature conditions.
Labeling and inspection:
The purpose of labeling is to give actual notice of the lessor ?s ownership of the equipment to third parties such as land-lords, creditors of the lessee, and purchasers from the lessee. Labeling also aids in locating equipment for inventory and inspections during the lease. In most leases, this type of provision gives the lessor the right to label the leased equipment. Not all lessors will exercise this right at the outset. However, even lessors that do not generally label equipment feel that such a provision is extremely important since the labeling of equipment may forestall prolonged arguments with creditors or a bankruptcy trustee if the lessee gets into financial difficulty.
Most lessees do not question the lessor's right to label, but the question of what form of label will be required is a frequent point of discussion. Lessees usually want the labeling to be as un-obtrusive as possible, usually for aesthetic reasons but sometimes for operational reasons. For example, certain lessees of trucks may object to the labeling requirement because of fear that weight station operators will be confused by the label and will hold up the trucks to make inquiries into the terms of the lease. Usually some accommodation can be reached by agreeing to label unobtrusively or by labeling the trucks as leased, but without mentioning the lessor. It should be noted that vehicle licensing and titling regulations, particularly for interstate carriers, frequently require that the equipment be identified on the registration form as under long-term lease, so a truck lessee ?s argument against labeling is not very strong.
Summary:
With some types of equipment, such as railroad cars, labeling of the equipment is important to protect the lessor?s title. Lessors must use the form prescribed by government regulations.
A right of inspection is necessary in order to verify the existence, location, and condition of the equipment and to make sure that the lessee is complying with the provisions of the lease. Lessees may wish to have such inspections limited to times when the equipment is located on property of the lessee. They may also wish to have the inspections conducted when this will not materially interfere with production. Ordinarily, these limitations are acceptable.However, if the equipment is located on leased property, if it is highly mobile and not likely to be returned to the lessee on a regular basis or if it will be subleased, the lessee must obtain inspection rights for the lessor from the other users, or the lessor or owner of the premises where the equipment is located must make some arrangement to enable the lessor to exercise its inspection rights.
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