Labelling An innovative solution for a sticky problem
How oſten have you experienced a paper jam when trying to print labels on a domestic printer? Labels manufacturer AA Labels has utilised innovation to overcome the age-old problem, as business development manager, Ian Axelsen, explains.
A
s a supplier of plain sheet labels for over 15 years, the most common complaint we hear from customers are related to printing problems, from paper jams and alignment issues to printing errors. To improve the customer experience, we invested time in investigating this sticky issue and developing a solution that improves user experience, reduces waste and prolongs the life of the printer. Knowing the most common cause of printing issues to be a dirty printer, we looked at how the label sheet itself could be adapted to reduce its contribution to this issue. Over time, ink, toner and dust all build up to impact mechanisms within the printer, but this dramatically increases with the use of wet-edge adhesive paper. As it travels through the printer, the combination of rollers and heat create adhesive leaching from between the label face-stock and the silicon release-liner and backing or label carrier, which clogs the machine and results in more paper jams.
The storage of raw materials is the first step in reducing the occurrence of adhesive leaching. If the coil of material is wound too tightly, then once converted the pressurised adhesive layer may leach at the sheet edges and create a tacky feel. If label sheets are left in high temperature locations, such as direct sunlight or near a
radiator, then the heating and plasticisation of the adhesive can also contribute to a similar outcome.
When printing on a desktop or large free- standing laser printer, label sheets pass through several sets of rollers which must be kept clean for optimum printing.
If leaching occurs the rollers become the main transferring of adhesive, spoiling subsequent sheets of labels, ruining the print quality with image ghosting and potentially becoming visible on future print runs. Adhesive then picks up dust and fibres, depositing them onto the print surface and leaving small white areas without print coverage, giving the printed labels a speckled appearance.
When adhesive is still wet, labels can be lifted from the sheet and become stuck to the rollers, resulting in areas of missing print and requiring the print-run to be stopped for cleaning. Upper and lower roller sets are calibrated for the thickness of the materials being printed and if the adhesive is left to harden, the tolerances can be compromised, and the rollers cannot control output. This lack of grip can cause misalignment of the sheets, with poor print registration as a consequence.
We identified that removing a 1mm strip of label and adhesive from all four edges of the
label sheet, whatever the size (A5, A4, A3 or SRA3), reduced leaching and transfer to printer rollers. This is because any adhesive that travels to the sheet edges by pressure gets removed, leaving a dry backing area in its place. The edge waste is removed during the production cutting of the labels and label sheets, which requires a significant reduction in machine operating speeds to ensure that the thin ladder of waste material created does not continually break and compromise production. However, the customer benefits are such that it is worth the added investment in time and effort for the purpose of preventing the production of label sheets with a wet-edge. The dry edge solution does not compromise the layout of the labels on the sheet and also ensures the dry, fast, problem-free printing of labels.
As most desktop printers are still not able to print edge-to-edge on A4 sheets and leave an unprintable area of 3mm–5mm around the edge, the removal of 1mm of label face-stock has no detrimental impact on the label layout on the sheet.
Ultimately, it is a simple solution that helps to alleviate printing issues and reduces waste, while also prolonging the life of the printer.
Xwww.aalabels.com
26
December/January 2022
www.convertermag.com
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