Labels are crucial to many brands and industries. However, most commonly the ones found online are regular labels that do not provide any benefits except exposure – which can be very inefficient for certain products that require special labels. But besides regular paper, metal and plastic labels, what other types are there?
To answer that, such examples are the domed labels and stickers created using polyurethane. While not very widespread among everyday products, this label is more or less the standard for many automotive brands.
It consists of a regular label used as the base for the product which is then coated with polyurethane resin in a special way that forms a “bubble” on the top and therefore creates a 3D effect. This is why you will often see these labels also referred to as “3D labels”.
In most cases, the sticker has an adhesive backing applied to it allowing it for easy attachment to different surfaces. However, it’s possible to order these types of stickers without the adhesive layer on the back. PC Based Label printers are quick and offers printing on the go. They are are a must for commercial businesses. Hence check over here to get more information about label printers.
3D Stickers Fit Into A Recess – Yes, With A Bevelled Edge
Sometimes these stickers are befitted inside a small recess making the surface completely flat – but still giving off the 3D effect. To achieve this effect, the domed labels receive a special beveled edge.
The clear benefits of using badges is that besides being more eye-catching, they also protect the labeling which can then be used for much longer periods of time under harsher conditions without showing any signs of wear and tear. This immediately turns such labels into a more long-term investment ensuring that companies do not have to repeatedly invest into their branding. And not to mention the “hidden” overhead of waiting for new labels every year or so.
Additionally, this long term solution also ensures that your internal processes don’t have to be changed either – for example, you don’t have to adapt your operations and machines for different types of labels upon every purchase order as the consistent quality and durability is ensured.
Using Polyurethane For Domed Letters and Badges
Besides labels and badges, polyurethane doming can be used on letters and numbers together with custom text which can then be applied to flexible materials like textiles.
However, unlike labels with adhesive backing, these labels are specially designed with a thinner, coated little “edge” that allows customers to sew the label onto different types of clothing and textiles. And the range of the flexibility of these can vary from soft to hard – for example, anything from sports shoes, jackets and caps to softer bags and sports clothing.
3D Control & HMI Panels For Industrial Usage
Interestingly, this type of label has a big demand and usage in heavy-industry cases. Such is the making of industrial control panels and human-machine interface panels. As mentioned above this coating provides extra protection to the label and panels which makes them more durable and able to withstand not only harsh weather conditions but also more severe damage such as chemicals and heat.
Additional Protection For The Domed Labels
On top of the “regular” domed coating made with polyurethane, the labels can be laminated with much more resistant plastic materials like polyethylene or polypropylene. This is usually needed in heavy-industry use cases where the panels and labels are exposed to much harsher conditions than normal since even the regular domed labels can withstand temperatures running from -40 degrees Celsius up to +150 degrees Celsius making them perfectly suitable for most common everyday scenarios. Heavy-duty industrial product labels are resistant to abrasion, high temperatures, solvents, and more.
On top of that, because of the new technologies used, the polyurethane coating exposed to direct sunlight does not “age” – and therefore does not lose its clearness by discoloration (i.e. becoming yellow over time). This had been the case for similar products for many years but newer chemicals have allowed the creation of such clear and long-lasting labels.
Closing words
Whether heavy-industry or everyday use, domed labels and badges can be a great tool for companies to not only save costs long term but also ensure their branding is properly attached to all materials without risking any damage.
