Well it’s not the sort of thing that we could provide for you business, it is however a very useful tool in the fight to detect to track explosives, medicines and bank notes.

Although it is not in any way a conventional barcode, but it is a very interesting development that has been found by a research team at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in America. They found that some nano-particles have unique characteristics that can be used to mark items, reduce crime and counterfeiting; they are so small that they can be put into any object.

As an illustration, the scientific team put tiny particles into an explosive called dinitrotoluene, and they found that the unique “tag” could be detected even after the explosive has detonated.

By adding these nano-particles to a currency note it is possible to detect if it is real or a counterfeit. Similarly it can be used to authenticate many item such as medicine, in fact just about any other objects.

We wonder if it would tell you the price as well, we doubt it!

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

When fixing asset tags or labels to your valuable equipment it is vital that they are permanent and difficult, or impossible to remove. This kind of label should be made from vinyl as it is a far better option than using paper.

The adhesive that is necessary will form a super strong bond between the label itself and the surface of the equipment to which it is being attached. The glue hardens over a period and it is at its maximum strength is usually after a period of four hours, by which time it is virtually impossible to remove.

This kind of label and adhesive is normally seen on equipment found in offices, schools, as well as many IT companies and is used on workstations, keyboards, monitors, hard drives and mobile equipment. This kind of label and adhesive has been developed to overcome the previous problems that were found when trying to stick asset labels to the plastic used on computers.

Ensuring that an asset has not been tampered with and has been opened is now overcome by using a label which clearly displays void if an unauthorised person has attempted to open or tamper with the equipment.

Ideally this kind of tamper proof label is used on IT equipment of all kinds as well as music systems, medical equipment, and many other kinds of communication devices.

Posted in General by Philip

Keeping a tight hold on inventory control is a vital function in any organisation which is involved in manufacturing or distribution of products. This is best achieved through labelling and ensuring that they are coded which will make the task of inventory control of each asset easier to manage.

Tagging of assets ensures that products do not go missing in transit or storage, and also help prevent theft. The kind of tag will depend upon the asset, for example, immovable equipment can be tagged permanently by aluminium, vinyl and laminated polyester labels, whilst equipment of a temporary or items in transit can be easily tracked with plastic or paper based labels. Modern offices contain many expensive equipment items. The tagging of the equipment makes it easier to maintain them.

In retail environment, bar coding has helped the efficiency of supermarkets and others stores by keeping track of items which are in the store and efficiently calculates the number required in the future. We are of course all very familiar with the barcodes which are now part of just about every item in shops; these are read at the checkout by an optical reading machine and have transformed retailing throughout the world.

Posted in Asset Tags by Philip

At Data Label we do everything that we can to make your job of buying labels for your products as easy as it can possibly be. If your product is a new one or you have not ordered a product label or barcode previously we can help you through the process.

Tell us what the label is to be used for ten we will be able to suggest the best type of adhesive to use, easy peelable, or a permanent adhesive, very low temperatures, under water, we have an adhesive that will withstand just about everything thrown at it. We will suggest protection for the label if it is likely to be subject to a lot of handling or subject to adverse storage, extreme heat, or cold.

Printing is important and depending upon the environment and length of time the label will be displayed can affect the type of print that we would suggest. For example, thermal direct printing does have a tendency to be sensitive to heat and light, but we can offer an alternative if this is the case.

Artwork is not a problem either, if you do not have your own artwork we can supply this for you, just send us a rough sketch and we will provide proofs for you to approve and make any amendments that you may require.

Naturally we will always give you a quotation and although we can do very short runs, if for example it is a trail product, but there will be a minimum charge of £45.00 for this. Naturally, the longer the label run the cheaper the unit price becomes.

Contact us by telephone at 01293 551 or complete the enquiry form at our web page and will be happy to get a quotation to you quickly.

Posted in General by Philip

We have all probably used the service at some time and it is now widely used in the parcel delivery and mail services. There are various methods used for tracking an item, but increasingly the use of the barcode when the item finally reaches the destination is used by both couriers and the Royal Mail to indicate to the sender that the item has been safely delivered.

The same technology can be applied to stock and warehouse control and a useful tool for keeping assets safe, secure and traceable. This is achieved by having a database which records each and every item together with the location of the asset. Another positive advantage is where the item is an electrical or electronic device and by law needs to be checked for safety. This is achieved by having a filter which will clearly indicate which items are due for test or are out of date, ensuring that all equipment is safe.

Our modern asset tags can be supplied with a barcode and this will make tracking of valuable assets easier. Simply scan the code and you will quickly locate the item. Stock taking in most organisations is an annual event that over the last few years has become a lot easier, thanks to the use of asset tags. The barcode on the item can have location, value, and a description if needed. Tracking and tracing in today’s modern company is the way forward.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

An increasing number of people, particularly in the United States are using their mobile phones for the task of scanning QR codes and in many cases UPC barcode labels. The use of mobiles for this is popular as it can give the user lots of information about a product, or indeed a company before a decision is made to buy an item and the trend is gathering momentum here too.

Naturally before you can use the smartphone to scan, you have to have the right sort of app installed onto your ‘phone and these are available from a number of companies. These are available for both iPhone and android devices and the numbers of people who are downloading the reading apps is growing daily.

This applies here in the UK and the tech minded public are making full use of that the smartphone gives to them. There is absolutely no reason why companies should not use both a barcode and a QR code on the product, this gives the best of both worlds for information about the item as well as directing the customer to a specific web site, sales pitch or telephone help can all be included.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

We have all done it at some time or another, prepared a meal and had a couple of portions left over and frozen them for use another day, only to find that the neat little label that we put on has come off and we haven’t an idea what is in the plastic box.

So how do you think that the label that is stuck onto the human eggs, or sperm and then placed onto a liquid nitrogen container and frozen at minus 196 degrees centigrade, which is around minus 180 less than the average home freezer copes? Can you imagine what would happen if the labels lost adhesion or the print was unreadable. It just would not be accepted and further more the labels have to stay in the liquid nitrogen for a long time, often longer than the left over dinners!

We produce labels for use in commercial freezers for applications such as cold food storage, but these labels are unsuitable for cryogenic temperatures which require a special label which will withstand these low temperatures, good adhesion and shear resistance at low temperature when applied to both glass and treated vials. The labels can be either printed or plain and we can supply in any size and shape to individual requirements.

Posted in General by Philip

We are not trying to suggest that moving into new business premises is easy, it never is and like moving home it can cause a lot of stress. However, there are things which can take some of the stress away from moving and we would always recommend that a professional business removal expert is used and not Joe down the road with his Transit van!

Another sure fire way of helping is the use of asset tags on your equipment, this will leave you somewhat amazed that moving equipment between departments or even moving an entire office can be easier.

By attaching asset tags to all your equipment they will soon show their versatility and worth when you are moving office. If equipment such as computers, monitors, furniture, water coolers and even documentation is all properly labelled, your assets will be protected and you’ll be able to relocate them easily.

This alone is a benefit to having asset tags attached to your equipment, but they will also act as a theft deterrent and have seals which if broken alert the owner that the item has been tampered with. Asset tags will thus make your move to a new office quicker, easy and help employees become at home as they will see all the equipment they are used to.

Posted in General by Philip

Labels that use thermal printing are produced for a specific purpose; we offer two distinct kinds of thermal printing, transfer and direct and there are some variations of these, the way that these differ is that thermal transfer has a ribbon and thermal direct does not.

Usually thermal transfer is the more commonly used one and it is ideal for use when barcodes are needed. Experience has shown that thermal transfer has a longer shelf life than making it ideal for use in product labelling as well as addressing. On the other hand, the use of thermal direct printing would only be recommended for a product that was to be used indoor and it has been considered to be best for temporary labelling of items. It is only recommended for use in items which will not be subject to sunlight, heat or certain UV lighting. If exposed to these the labels will turn black in colour rendering them useless.

If you need any advice on which kind of thermal printing would be best for your product, the type of adhesive, or material, we will be happy to discuss this with you and advise accordingly.

Posted in Barcode Labels by Philip

It is coming up to two years since we launched our new website and from feedback that we have received in the intervening time, it looks as though this is working well for both our existing customers and the many new ones that have come to us.

From the comments that we have received, finding examples of what you, the customer wants, is easier than previously, finding the new site easier to navigate, with a crisp appearance and a wide appeal.

Using the web pages you can see at a glance many of the items that we produce, which enables us to give you a quick quotation, or to send samples of our work.

We have the very latest HP Indigo digital print technology, which enables us to accurately colour print and Pantone colour match labels on a number of different materials. Your labels can be supplied in one or full colours and we have an excellent in house art studio that will produce basic artwork which will be included in the price of the label.

Drawing on the advice of people who have been in the label business for nearly 50 yeras, you can be assured that you will not only get your labels looking precisely as you want them to be, but all within a guaranteed time slot, which for most products is three days.

Contact us using the web page, or we will be happy to discuss your requirements by telephone; at your service at Data Label!

Posted in General by Philip