Self Adhesive Labels Glossary
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 A
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Abrasion Resistance:
Label surface resistance to something that rubs against
it, including the label material itself, ink, or a protective
coating.
Abrasiveness:
The tendency of a paper, paper coating, or ink to abrade
or dull die edges, slitting blades, and printing plates
due to friction.
Accelerated
Aging: Procedures for subjecting pressure
sensitive label material to special environmental conditions
in order to predict the course of natural aging.
Acetates:
Transparent and cellulose films used as face
materials; cellulose is a plant product.
Acrylic Adhesive:
See: Adhesive: Acrylic.
Acrylic Based
Adhesive: See: Adhesive: Acrylic Based.
Adhesion/Adherence:
A bond established upon contact between two
surfaces.
Adhesive:
A substance capable of holding materials
together by surface attachment.
Adhesive: Acrylic:
A pressure sensitive adhesive based on high-strength,
acrylic polymers. It can be coated as a solvent or emulsion.
Adhesive:
Acrylic Based: A pressure sensitive adhesive with acrylic
polymer base.
Adhesive: Aqueous:
A water-based pressure sensitive adhesive.
Adhesive: Cold
Temperature: An adhesive that adheres
to refrigerated or frozen substrates (generally +35
degrees F or colder).
Adhesive: Dry
Lap: See: Adhesive: Pattern Coated.
Adhesive: High
Temperature: An adhesive that withstands
sustained, high temperature (+200 degrees F or higher).
Adhesive: Hot
Melt: A pressure sensitive adhesive
that is applied to the release liner at an elevated
temperature and then cools into a conventional, highly-tacky
pressure sensitive adhesive.
Adhesive: Opaque:
A darkened adhesive that restricts printing from showing
through the adhesive-coated side of a label.
Adhesive: Pattern
Coated: Refers to the spacing arrangement
of areas of adhesive on the face material that are coated
parallel to the machine direction. Also referred to
as dry lap, strip coated, or zone coated adhesive.
Adhesive: Pattern
Gummed: An adhesive coating that alternates
strips of adhesive with non-adhesive areas that is applied
parallel to the machine direction. The non-adhesive
areas of the label are frequently used as lift tabs
for order picking labels.
Adhesive: Permanent:
A pressure sensitive adhesive characterized as having
relatively high ultimate adhesion to a wide variety
of substrates. The label either cannot be removed intact
or requires a great deal of force to be removed.
Adhesive: Removable:
A pressure sensitive adhesive characterized
by low ultimate adhesion. The label can be removed from
most substrates without damaging the surface or leaving
adhesive residue or stain.
Adhesive: Rubber
Based: A pressure sensitive adhesive
derived from natural or synthetic rubbers.
Adhesive: Strip
Coated: See: Adhesive: Pattern Coated.
Adhesive: Strip
Gummed: See: Adhesive: Pattern Gummed.
Adhesive: Water
Based: A pressure sensitive adhesive
derived from water based materials.
Adhesive: Water
Soluble: A pressure sensitive adhesive
in which all components are water soluble.
Adhesive: Zone
Coated: See: Adhesive: Pattern Coated.
Adhesive Bleed:
The adhesive migration from pressure sensitive material
and labels. Note: Especially critical in laser printing.
See also: Cold Flow, Flow, Ooze.
Adhesive Deposit/Adhesive
Residue: The pressure sensitive adhesive
remaining on a substrate when a label is removed.
Adhesive Splitting:
A condition in which portions of pressure
sensitive adhesive remain on the face material and portions
remain on the substrate when the label is placed under
stress or removed. See also: Cohesive Failure.
Adhesive Strength:
See: Peel Adhesion.
Aging:
The changes which occur to a material with the passage
of time.
Anchorage:
The specific adhesion of a pressure sensitive material
to a substrate.
Anchor Coat:
See: Barrier Coat, Primer, Sealer Coat, Tie Coat.
Anvil Cut Labels:
Pressure sensitive labels that are
die cut through all components of the label stock, including
the liner. Also called steel-to-steel, zero tolerance,
punched out, or blanked out labels.
Application:
(1) Placement of a label on a substrate. (2) The conditions
under which a label is to be used; the life-cycle of
the label.
Application
Temperature: Temperature of a label
material at the time of application. All adhesives have
a minimum application temperature rating. Testing is
recommended in minimum and maximum application temperature
situations.
Applicator:
A device that automatically feeds
and applies pressure sensitive labels to a substrate
or product.
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Backing:
See: Carrier, Liner, Release Liner.
Back Splits:
Linear cuts put in the liner during the coating process,
or while on-press, to meet specialized end use requirements.
See also: Slit Back, Split Back/Split Liner.
Bar Code/Bar
Code Symbol: A specific pattern made
of lines (or bars) and spaces, of varying width, which
represent alpha or numeric data in machine-readable
form. The most general format for a bar code consists
of: a lead margin, a start character, data or message
characters, a stop character, and a trailing margin.
There are over 30 bar code symbologies. See also: Machine
Readable, Picket Fence, Scanability, Step Ladder.
Barrier Coat:
A coating applied to a face material
on the side opposite the printing surface that lies
between the material and the adhesive coat. It provides
increased opacity to the face material, and/or prevents
migration of adhesive to the face material, and/or improves
anchorage of adhesive to the face material. See also:
Anchor Coat, Primer, Sealer Coat, Tie Coat.
Battery Label
Stock: A durable, acid-resistant label
material designed for the demanding environment associated
with automotive batteries.
Blocking:
Adhesion between sheets or rolls of pressure sensitive
labels usually due to cold flow, improper drying of
inks, or improper curing of coatings and adhesives.
See also: Cold Flow.
Blown-On Labels:
A method of label application that
uses air pressure to remove the label from the carrier
and position it on the substrate.
Break:
A tear in a roll of face material or release liner.
Such defects are generally spliced and marked by a flag
during printing.
Brightness:
The (blue light) reflectivity of a sheet of paper measured
under standardized conditions on an instrument designed
and calibrated specifically for that purpose.
Brittleness:
That property of a material which
causes it to break or fail when deformed by bending.
It is usually of practical interest only when the deformation
producing failure is small.
Burster:
A mechanical device used to separate cross-web perforations
at intermediate locations between labels.
Bursting Strength:
The pressure required to rupture a paper specimen when
it is tested with a Mullen instrument under specific
conditions. It is largely determined by the tensile
strength and extensibility of the paper. Also referred
to as Mullen.
Butt-Cutt Labels:
Rectangular, square-cornered labels in continuous form
that are separated by a single knife cut to the liner.
Typically, the matrix is not removed. See also: Butt
Labels, Knife-Cut Labels.
Butt Labels: See:
Butt-Cut labels.
Butt Roll:
See: Stub Roll.
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Calender Finish:
A term applied to a paper with a glazed surface finish
created by means of calenders (cast iron rollers with
chilled, hardened surfaces). Other terms include machine
finish, English finish, super-calendered and calender
friction glazed. Semigloss litho and high gloss paper
are examples of calendered paper.
Calender Friction
Glazed: See: Calender Finish.
Caliper: The
thickness of a sheet of paper or plastic measured in
units of one thousandth of an inch; the measuring units
are called mils or points. See also: Thickness.
Camera-Ready
Art: Black and white or color-separated
artwork supplied in its final form for printing preparation.
Typically, it requires no modification other than photo
enlargement or reduction. See also: Mechanical artwork,
Line Art, Pasteup.
Carrier:
See: Backing, Liner, Release Liner.
Cast-Coated
Paper: A paper coating which is allowed
to harden or set while in contact with a finishing surface.
In general, cast-coated papers usually have a high gloss
finish.
Checking:
The presence of hairline cracks in a varnish coating,
lacquer coating, or plastic coating. See also: Crazing.
Chemical Drum
Label: A label of durable material
( like vinyl, polyester, or Kimdura® which resists
adverse conditions associated with chemical drum containers.
Chemical Resistance:
The resistance of a pressure sensitive label to the
deteriorating effects of chemicals, under specified
conditions.
Clear Coat:
A coating that protects the printing and the surface
of a pressure sensitive label from abrasion, sunlight,
chemicals, moisture, or any combination of these. Varnish
and lacquer are examples of clear coats. See also: Lacquer,
Overcoat, Protective Coating, Varnish.
Coat Weight:
The amount or weight of coating per unit area. This
is expressed in various units including grams per square
meter or pounds per ream. Applies to adhesives, primers,
varnishes, and lacquers.
Cohesion:
The internal strength of a pressure sensitive adhesive,
its resistance to cold flow, and its resistance to failure
(or splitting) when labels are removed or placed under
stress. See also: Cohesive Strength, Internal Bond,
Shear.
Cohesive Failure:
The breakdown of molecular bond by
which particles of a body, or bodies, are united. See
also: Adhesive Splitting.
Cohesive Strength:
The internal strength of the adhesive.
The measure of a labels resistance to removal. See also:
Cohesion, Internal bond, Shear.
Cold Flow: The
viscous flow of a pressure sensitive adhesive under
stress. See also: Adhesive Bleed, Ooze, Flow.
Cold Temperature
Adhesive: See: Adhesive: Cold Temperature.
Colorfastness:
The ability of a pressure sensitive
label to retain its true color under normal conditions
and/or to resist change in color when exposed to light,
heat, or other influences.
Color Separation:
The process of separating a color
image into its component primary printing colors.
Computer Imprintable
Labels: Typically, pre-printed or
imprinted utilitarian labels carrying variable information,
such as a bar code, price.
Conditioning:
The process of subjecting a material
to specific temperatures and relative humidity conditions
for a stipulated period of time. (American Society of
Testing Material)
Conformability:
The ability of a pressure sensitive label to yield to
the contours of a curved or textured surface. See also:
Flexibility, Pliability.
Core/Core Size:
Refers to the diameter of the (cardboard) core in a
roll of labels.
Coupon Base:
The clear base in a dry peel label construction. Usually
used for instantly redeemable coupons, the clear base
is combined with a face material in a specialized laminating
process. When the printed face material ( or coupon)
is removed, the clear base remains on the substrate.
See also: Dry Peel.
Crazing: The
network of small cracks that can appear in a varnish
coat or plastic face material. They are usually caused
by expansion and contraction during weathering or by
excessive solvents in an ink system. See also: Checking.
Creep:
The lateral movement of a pressure sensitive label on
a surface due to low cohesive strength.
Cross-Direction:
The direction perpendicular to the machine direction
in the plane of a printing material. See also: Cross-Web.
Cross Web:
See: Cross-Direction.
Curl:
The tendency of paper to bend or warp, either by itself
or because of a coating or laminate.
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Deboss: Condition
in which an image is depressed below the normal surface
of a material. Embossing has the opposite effect, creating
a raised image.
Declamation:
Following application to a substrate, the separation
of a pressure sensitive material into layers in a direction
approximately parallel to the surface.
Decode Rating:
See: Scanability.
Destructible
Label: See: Tamper-Resistant Label.
Die:
The tool or device used for imparting or cutting a desired
shape, form, or finish from a given material.
Die Cut: The
actual shape of a pressure sensitive label made by the
cutting edge of a die.
Die Cut Label:
Pressure sensitive labels on a release liner where the
matrix, or waste between the labels, usually has been
removed.
Dimensional
Stability: The property of a material
which relates to the degree of its ability to retain
(or recall) its original shape or state. See also: Memory.
Direct Thermal
printing: A specialized printing technology
that uses rapidly-heated pins that selectively activate
a heat-sensitive coating inherent in the face material,
thus forming the desired copy or images.
Dispenser: A
device that feeds pressure sensitive labels, either
manually or automatically, in pre-determined units.
Dispensers in box form can serve as containers for a
roll of labels.
Dot Matrix Printing:
An economical and versatile method of printing that
produces images by printing tiny ink dots closely together.
First, a computer sends data which determines the arrangement
of pins that are to be fired against a ribbon. These
pins are in horizontal and vertical rows on the printing
head. As the printing head moves back and forth across
the page, the pins fire (many times per second), forming
an image. See also: Impact Printing.
Dots:
See: Print Resolution.
Double-Coated:
A pressure sensitive product consisting of a face material
with similar or dissimilar adhesives applied to both
sides of the material.
d.p.i.: Dots
per inch; a measure referring to dot resolution in images
created by dot matrix, laser, and thermal printers and
imprinters.
Duo-Imaging
Material: See: Encapsulated Ink, Self-Imaging
Liner, Self-Imaging Piggy back.
Dry Peel: A
label construction in which two materials are bonded
together with a dry adhesive. The top ply of the construction
can be removed with no adhesive residue. the bottom
ply is typically made of a clear material, so the substrate
can be seen through it. A common use of this label construction
is for instantly redeemable coupons or for promotions.
See also: Coupon Base, Dry Tag.
Dry Tag:
An uncoated tag face material designed to separate from
a liner with no functional adhesive on the tag. Typical
uses are clothing tags, temporary I.D. cards, and hang
tags. See also: Coupon Base, Dry Peel.
Dwell/Dwell
Time: (1) The time during which a
pressure sensitive material remains on a surface before
testing for adhesive permanence or removability. (2)
The time during which a hot-stamp, embossing head, or
thermal die remains in contact with the surface of a
material during printing. See also: Residence Time.
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EDP/Electronic
Data Processing: Data processing by
electronic equipment. Pressure sensitive labels produced
for imprinting on this equipment incorporate in-line
hole punching.
Edge Lift: The
tendency of the edge of a label to rise off the substrate.
This condition occurs most frequently on small diameter,
curved substrates. Resistance to edge lift is dependent
on the bond strength of the adhesive and the flexibility
of the face material.
Electrostatic
Printing: A
method of printing in which the ink is affixed to the
face material by electrostatic methods. See also: Ion
Deposition Printing, Laser Printing.
Elmendorf Test:
A standard test for determining the tearing strength
of paper.
Elongation:
The increase
in length of a material produced by extending it to
the point of rupture. See also: Stretch.
Emboss/Embossing:
A condition in which an image is pressed into a material
to create an image that is raised above the normal level
of the material. Debossing creates the opposite
effect.
Emulsion System:
A dispersion
of fine particles or globules in another liquid. Many
pressure sensitive adhesives are emulsion system adhesives.
Encapsulated
Ink: Ink encapsulated
in a material surface coating which can be activated
by heat or pressure. See also: Duo-Imaging Material,
Self-Imaging Liner, Self-Imaging Piggyback.
English Finish:
See: Calendar Finish.
Exposure Temperature:
The temperature to which a labeled product is exposed.
See: Service Temperature.
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Face Cut Label:
A die cut or square cut label from
which the matrix, or waste between labels, has not been
removed.
Face Material/Face
Stock: Any paper, film, fabric, foil,
or plastic material suitable for converting into pressure
sensitive labels. In a finished construction, the face
material is bonded to an adhesive layer and carried
on a liner. It is the functional part of the construction.
Face Split:
A linear cut in face material during coating or converting
to meet specialized end use requirements. See also:
Split Face.
Fade/Fading:
A gradual decrease in brilliance of color; often applies
to the change in color produced by prolonged exposure
to light.
Fan-Fold/Fan-Folded
Labels: Pressure sensitive labels
on a continuous backing that is perforated, then folded
back and forth along the perforations, so as to create
a flat pack. See: Put-Up.
Face Material:
(1) Contact between paper and dry foods (175.180).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . (2)Contact between paper
and aqueous and/or fatty foods (176.170)
Feathering:
A defect in printing which is characterized by ragged,
uneven, or coarse edges.
Feed Slots:
Round or rectangular holes punched
into the edge of a liner to maintain the register of
computer imprintable pressure sensitive labels during
imprinting. Holes can be cleanly cut or in a starburst.
See also: Pin-Fed Holes, Starburst Holes, Tractor Feed.
File Card: Uncoated
tag stock frequently used for recording information.
A common material for ultimate use as pressure sensitive
labels.
Film:
Plastic face material manufactured from synthetic high
molecular weight polymers. Examples are: Kimdura®,
polyester, polyethylene, and vinyl.
Finish:
The surface property of a paper sheet determined by
its surface contour and gloss. Terms referring to paper
finish include: antique, eggshell, vellum, machine,
English, super-calendered, and plate.
Fish Eyes:
Round or eye-shaped deformations in a coating.
Flag:
A marker, usually made of strips of colored paper, placed
in rolls of pressure sensitive materials during printing
(or converting) to designate a deviation from a standard
-- such as a splice, defect, or specification change.
It can also mark a specific length.
Flexibility:
A property of face material, measured under specified
conditions, that indicates how readily it will conform
to curved surfaces. See also: Conformability, Pliability.
Flexography:
A rotary web letterpress method of printing characterized
by raised-image, flexible rubber plates and fast-drying
inks.
Flow: See:
Adhesive Bleed, Cold Flow, Ooze.
Fluorescent
Paper: A paper coated with a pigment
which reflects light in such a way that it has a glowing
appearance or effect.
Foil:
A thin metal sheet used as a face material.
Foil Paper Laminate:
A face material consisting of metal foil laminated to
paper. The foil usually carries a clear coat to improve
ink receptivity.
Food Contact
Adhesives: Adhesive meeting specified
sections of the Food and Drug Administration Code of
Federal Regulations. These regulations cover direct
food labeling as well as incidental contact. Special
product recommendations are necessary for specific applications.
Four Color Process
Printing: Printing and reproduction
of full color images using the four process printing
colors -- yellow, cyan, magenta, and black -- to create
an image with an infinite number of resultant colors.
Frozen Edge:
The inability to separate a pressure sensitive label
from its liner along one edge. This is generally caused
by an absence of silicone on that edge.
Freezer Grade
Adhesive: See: Adhesive: Cold Temperature.
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Ghosting/Ghosts:
Indistinct image patterns appearing as solids or reverse
printing, typically caused by poor ink distribution,
inconsistency in plate and/or substrate thickness, and/or
poor base ink formulation. See also: Shadows.
Ghost Printing:
Involves the use of a low-density screen to print a
ghost-like background image.
Glassine®:
A super-calendered, dense transparent or semi-transparent
material manufactured primarily from chemical wood pulps,
which have been beaten to secure a high degree of density
in the stock.
Gloss:
That property of a surface which causes it to have a
mirror-like finish or the ability to specularly reflect
light.
Gloss Paper:
See: Cast-Coated Paper.
Gravure Printing:
An intaglio printing process employing minute engraved
wells. In general principle, the deeply-etched wells
carry more ink than a raised surface, and, therefore,
print dark values. Shallow wells print light values.
A scraping device, called a doctor blade, wipes excess
ink from the cylindrical printing surface before the
ink is pressed into the face material. Rotogravure employs
etched cylinders and web-fed stock. Sheet-fed gravure,
as its name implies, involves individual sheet feeding.
H
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Halftone: A
method of screening a continuous tone image (like a
photograph) for printing or reproduction. The dots in
the screen vary in size and density, so as to recreate
the complete range of highlights, lowlights, and mid-tones
of the original image.
Heavy Coat Weight:
A higher -than-standard weight of
coating per unit area.
High Gloss Paper:
A cast-coated gloss paper that features
high strength material and excellent ink receptivity.
High Temperature
Adhesive: See: Adhesive: High Temperature.
Holding Power:
The ability to withstand stress, involving
both adhesive and cohesive strength. The term usually
refers to rigid label materials on small diameter cylindrical
objects.
Horizontal Spaces:
The horizontal space created by the removed matrix,
revealing only the liner in a pressure sensitive label
construction.
Hot Melt Adhesive:
See: Adhesive: Hot Melt.
Hot Stamping:
An image producing method that involves a film carrying
a thin leaf of color which is transferred to a material
using heat and pressure. It is commonly used with gold
or metallic leaf, but many colors, patterns, and finishes
of leaf are available. It is especially popular for
labels used in the textile and apparel markets.
I
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Impact Printing:
A printing method that uses a hammer striking a ribbon
to transfer ink onto a material. See also: Dot Matrix
Printing, Platen.
Imprinting:
Technique in which copy is applied
to blank or previously printed labels with a secondary
printing device such as an imprinter, computer printer,
or typewriter.
Ink Jet Printing:
A non-impact printing process whereby fluid ink is projected
from a nozzle directly onto a material to form the desired
image.
Intaglio Printing:
A method of printing in which an engraved or acid-etched
printing plate (or cylinder) carries ink to the material
surface. The material when pressed against the printing
plate, actually squeezes into the inked grooves and,
thereby, receives the image.
Internal Bond:
See: Cohesion, Cohesive Strength, Shear.
Inverted Face
Material: A facestock that has the
adhesive applied to the surface normally printed upon.
Ion Deposition
Printing: An electronic printing process
whereby a static charge is created on a printing cylinder,
attracting toner. The toner is subsequently transferred
to a printable surface, creating the image. See also:
Electrostatic Printing, Laser Printing.
J
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K
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Knife-Cut Labels:
See: Butt-Cut Labels.
L
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Label: The
functional portion of a pressure sensitive construction
comprised of the face material and adhesive, cut into
various shapes.
Label Height/Label
Length: The vertical measurement on
a label (from top to bottom) when the label is traveling
in the machine direction.
Lacquer: A
coating applied to a face material for protection or
decoration. Lacquer usually requires ultraviolet curing
or drying. See also: Clear Coat, Overcoat, Protective
Coating, Top Coat/Top Coating.
Ladder: See:
Matrix, Skeleton, Waste.
Laminate:
A web material formed by bonding two or more materials.
Laser Printing:
Also known as electrophotographic
printing, a process where light, generated from either
a laser or diode, creates a static charge on a photographically-sensitive
cylinder. The charged cylinder attracts toner, which
is subsequently transferred to a printable surface,
creating an image. See also: Electrostatic Printing,
Ion Deposition Printing.
Latex Paper/Latex-Impregnated Paper:
Paper saturated with latex during its formation making
it stronger, more resistant to moisture and abrasion,
more flexible, and more durable. See also: Saturated
Paper.
Legging/Legs:
The stringy appearance of adhesive when a pressure sensitive
label is separated from a substrate or its release liner.
It can also occur when the matrix is removed from a
die cut pressure sensitive material.
Letterpress
Printing: A printing process in which
ink is applied to a material from the raised portions
of printing plates or from foundry type.
Life Cycle:
The length of time that a label is to be used before
it is ultimately discarded.
Lift Tab: A
label edge that is not coated with adhesive and , thereby,
allows for easy removal of the label from the release
liner. It is frequently used for order picking labels.
Line Art:
Black and white artwork that can be reproduced as is.
See also: Camera Ready Art, Mechanical Art, Pasteup.
Liner:
A paper or film that is a carrier for pressure sensitive
labels. Typically, it has a silicone coating to allow
easy removal of the label. See also: Backing, Carrier,
Release Liner.
Lithographic
Paper: A paper suitable for lithographic
(or offset) printing.
M
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Machine Direction:
The direction of paper in its forward
movement through a paper handling machine or printing
press.
Machine Finish:
See: Calendar Finish.
Machine Readable:
Refers to the scanning of bar code symbology by a laser
scanner or similar device. See also: Scanability.
Matrix:
The face material and adhesive layers of a pressure
sensitive construction surrounding a die cut label which
is typically removed after die cutting. See also: Ladder,
Skeleton, Waste.
Matte Litho:
A litho paper with a satin finish -- between high gloss
and dull finish -- that is ideal for bar code printing.
Mechanical Artwork:
See: Camera-Ready Art, Line Art, Pasteup.
Memory:
The property of a material that causes it to shrink
or return to its original dimensions after being distorted,
die cut, or subjected to temperature change. For example,
vinyl (being very flexible) has more memory than polystyrene.
See also dimensional Stability.
Metallized Film:
A plastic or resinous film that has been coated on one
side with a very thin layer of metal.
Metallized Paper:
Paper that has a thick deposit of metallized particles
that resemble a layer of foil. Metallized paper offers
reduced stiffness and better flexibility than metallized
film and has an appearance similar to laminated foil
papers.
MICR/Magnetic
Ink Character Recognition: The process
of reading characters by means of magnetic sensing.
Migration: (1)
The movement of one or more of the components of a pressure
sensitive adhesive to either a substrate or face material.
(2) The movement of one or more of the components of
the face material and/or the substrate into the adhesive
and/or ink.
(3) The uncontrolled spread of ink due to improper
printing or curing.
See also: Penetration, Plasticizer Migration.
Moisture Content:
The moisture present in a material. This is particularly
important in liners.
Moisture Equilibrium:
The condition reached by a material when it shows no
change in weight, in relation to the amount of moisture
absorbed or desorbed by the material.
Moistureproof:
The property of a material which makes it virtually
impervious to moisture. Tyvek® is a moistureproof
material.
Moisture Vapor
Transmission: A measure of the rate
of water vapor transmission through a pressure sensitive
label.
Mottled Surface/Mottling:
Non-uniform appearance or coloring of a face material
-- blotching.
Multiple-Web
Construction: A construction consisting
of two or more face materials and/or adhesives on the
same liner. Example: EDP face material with permanent
adhesive and non-pressure sensitive card stock side
by side.
N
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Natural Aging:
The change, if any, in a material occurring from exposure
to normal environmental conditions.
O
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OCR/Optical
Character Recognition: An information
processing technology that involves conversion of imprinted
or written data to another language and medium.
Offset/Offsetting:
The partial transference of ink from a freshly printed
surface to an adjacent surface -- as that of another
sheet of paper.
Offset Printing:
A printing process in which a right-reading image is
printed from a plate onto a blanketed cylinder. this
mirror image is then pressed against a printing surface,
thus creating the desired, final image. The term offset
applies because the printing plate never comes in contact
with the printing material as it does in letterpress
printing.
Ooze:
See: Adhesive Bleed, Cold Flow, Flow.
Opacity:
the measure of the amount of light that can pass through
a material.
Orange Peel:
The mottled or textured appearance of a label that can
occur from air bubbles trapped between a laminate and
face material.
Overcoat:
See: Clear Coat, Lacquer, Protective Coating, Top coat/Top
Coating, Varnish.
Overlaminate/Overlaminating/Overlamination:
The application of a clear film to label material for
the purpose of protection or to enhance visual quality.
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Pasteup:
See: Camera-Ready Art, Line Art, Mechanical Art.
Pattern Coated
Adhesive: See: Adhesive: Pattern Coated.
Pattern Gummed
Adhesive: See: Adhesive: Pattern Gummed.
Patterned Release
Coating: See: Release Coating: Patterned.
Peel Adhesion:
Peel adhesion is the force required to remove a pressure
sensitive label from a standard test surface at a specified
angle and speed after the label has been applied according
to specified conditions. See also: Adhesive Strength.
Penetration:
The change in appearance of the face material due to
movement of one or more components from the adhesive
or the substrate. See also: Migration, Plasticizer Migration.
Perforation:
Refers to a series of small incisions
made in a material to facilitate tearing or folding
along a pre-determined line. They are measured in TPI's
- ties per inch. Se also: TPI/Ties Per Inch.
Permanency:
The measure of an adhesive's ultimate holding power
or bonding strength. A bond that makes label removal
difficult or impossible without distorting or destroying
the face material.
Permanent Adhesive:
See: Adhesive: Permanent.
Pharmaceutical
Litho Stock: A lightweight, uncoated
litho stock with the flexibility and high-performance
required for pharmaceutical applications.
Phosphorescent
Face Material: A face material coated
with a phosphorescent ink. See: Phosphorescent Ink.
Phosphorescent
Ink: An ink that absorbs and reflects
light and remains luminescent after exposure to a light
source has stopped. It is commercially called Glow-in-the-Dark.
Picket Fence:
A bar code symbology characterized by vertical bars
and spaces. See also: Bar code/Bar code Symbol.
Piggyback:
This type of label consists of a pressure sensitive
label on a pressure sensitive liner. This double-ply
label is carried on a standard release liner. Once the
double-ply is applied to a substrate, the top ply can
be removed and applied to yet another substrate. Typically
this kind of label is used for response labels in direct
mail promotions.
Pin-Fed Holes:
See: Feed Slots, Starburst Holes, Tractor Feed.
Plasticizer:
A substance added to polymeric materials to impart flexibility,
workability, and elongation.
Plasticizer
Migration: The movement of plasticizers
from a plastic into an adhesive or face material, or
both. This can cause degradation of the adhesive and
bleed-through of adhesive components into the face material.
See also: Migration, Penetration.
Platen:
The roller which carries paper through a typewriter
or dot matrix printer and acts as an anvil for impact
printing.
Pliability:
See: Conformability, Flexibility.
Polyester:
A strong film that is resistant to moisture, solvents,
oils, and chemicals. It is usually transparent, but
is available with a metallized finish. Mylar® is
a polyester brand name.
Polyethylene:
A tough, stretchy film that is suitable for use in low
temperature applications. It is frequently used for
labeling semi-rigid bottles.
Pressure Sensitive
Label: A self-adhesive label that
is the die cut, usable part of pressure sensitive material
that has been converted through roll-fed production
equipment. The end product can be produced in rolls,
sheets, or fan-folded stacks.
Pressure Sensitive
Material/Pressure Sensitive Stock:
The combination of face material, pressure sensitive
adhesive and release liner from which pressure sensitive
labels are manufactured. Colloquially referred to as
a "sandwich".
Price Mark Labels:
Labels for retail and/or wholesale use that normally
carry alpha or numeric character information such as:
unit price, lot number, style number, and SKU number.
See also: Retail Labels.
Prime Label/Primary
Label: Usually a descriptive, decorative
product label; the label typically on the front of a
container.
Primer:
A coating applied to face material, on the side opposite
the printing surface, to improve anchorage of the adhesive
and to prevent migration of adhesive components into
face material. See also: Anchor Coat, Barrier coat,
Sealer Coat, Tie Coat.
Print Resolution:
The quality of print; the level of detail achieved by
a printer. Measured in dpi (dots per inch), typical
capabilities are 200 dpi for a thermal transfer printer
and 300 dpi for a laser printer. It is particularly
critical in bar code printing. See also: Resolution.
Printout:
Information in sheet form which has been generated by
a computer and an automatic printer.
Protective Coating:
A coating that protects the printing and the surface
of a pressure sensitive label for abrasion, sunlight,
chemicals (their fumes and dilute solutions), and moisture,
or a combination of these. See also: Clear Coat, Lacquer,
Overcoat, Top Coat/Top Coating.
Put-Up:
The final form of converted products -- in rolls, fan-folded
stacks, or in bundles.
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Quick Adhesion:
See: Tack.
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Ream:
A number of sheets of paper, either 480 or 500, according
to grade. For purposes of physical testing, a ream is
considered as 500 sheets.
Registration:
The exact, corresponding placement of successively printed
images and/or successively die cut pressure sensitive
labels.
Relative Humidity:
The ratio of the amount of moisture in the air at any
temperature to the amount required at that temperature
to saturate the air.
Release/Releasing: .(1)
The act of freeing or separating a pressure sensitive
label form its liner.
(2) The force required to free or separate a pressure
sensitive label from its liner.
Release Coat:
The (silicone) coating on a liner
that allows pressure sensitive labels to be easily removed
or dispensed.
Release Coat
Transfer: A defect resulting from
the transfer of release coat from the liner to the pressure
sensitive adhesive during release.
Release Coating:
Patterned: Selectively applying release
coat beside non-coated areas, in strips that run parallel
to the machine direction. This results in a permanent
face material/release liner bond in the non-coated areas.
Release Liner:
The component of the pressure sensitive label material
which functions as a carrier for the pressure sensitive
label. Usually silicone coated, it readily separates
from the label when the label is removed for application.
See also: Backing, Carrier, Liner.
Removability:
A relative term applied to pressure
sensitive labels to describe the force or condition
under which they can be removed from a substrate. A
removable label would be one in which little or no damage
occurs to the substrate or the label upon removal.
Removable Adhesive:
See: Adhesive: Removable.
Residence Time:
See: Dwell/Dwell time.
Resin ribbons:
The principal component of the binder
in the ribbons is resin. With superior heat resistance,
abrasion resistance and chemical resistance, materials
printed with resin type ribbons can be stored for long
periods of time. These ribbons, which are principally
used with film labels, are well suited for use with
factory automation labels, name plates, and caution
labels.
Resolution:
See: Print Resolution.
Retail Labels:
See: Price Mark Labels.
Roll Labels:
Pressure sensitive labels that are packaged in continuous
roll form. See also: Put-Up.
Rotogravure
Printing: See: Gravure Printing.
Rubber Based
Adhesive: See Adhesive: Rubber Based.
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Sandwich: Colloquial
term for the layered construction of pressure sensitive
material. See also: Pressure Sensitive Material.
Saturated Paper:
See: Latex Paper/Latex-Impregnated Paper.
Scanability:
The quality of a material that allows
for precise printing of bar codes, so as to ensure accurate
reading or scanning of the bar code data. Readings (called
percent decode ratings) are usually measured as a percentage
indicating the number of successful scans out of a total
of 100. See also: Machine Readable.
Sealer Coat:
See: Anchor coat, Barrier coat, Primer, Tie Coat.
Self-Imaging
Liner: A specially-coated, pressure-activated
liner that reproduces an exact image of information
printed or imprinted on its corresponding face label.
Requires an impact printing method. See also: Duo-Imaging
Material, Encapsulated Ink, Self-Imaging Piggyback.
Self-Imaging
Piggyback: A piggy back label material
that can be imprinted, creating a duplicate label from
the second ply of this double-ply construction. Requires
an impact printing method. See also: Duo-Imaging
Material, Encapsulated Ink, Piggyback, Self-Imaging
Liner.
Service Temperature:
See: Exposure Temperature.
Shadows:
See: Ghosting/Ghosts.
Shear: See:
Cohesion, Cohesive Strength, Internal Bond.
Sheeted Labels:
Finished labels furnished in cut, singular sheets. This
format is most popular for laser printing. See also:
Put-Up.
Shelf Life:
The period of time during which a product can be stored
under specified conditions and still remain suitable
for use -- normally 6-9 months. See also: Storage Life.
Skeleton:
See: Ladder, Matrix, Waste.
Slit Back: See:
Back Slits, Split Back/Split Liner.
Slit Face:
See: Split Face.
Smudge Resistance:
The quality or characteristic of a paper (or plastic)
to resist the smearing of ink immediately following
printing or imprinting; directly related to the absorption
level of the paper.
Solvent Resistance:
The resistance of a material to the
action of specific solvents.
Specific Adhesion:
The force required to remove a pressure sensitive label
from a specific substrate under specified conditions.
Splice:
A method of joining paper or plastic webs within a pressure
sensitive roll to produce an operational continuous
web.
Split Face:
Slits in face material of a pressure
sensitive product usually for the purpose of facilitating
removal. See also: Face split, Slit Face.
Split Back/Split
Liner: Slits in the release liner
of a pressure sensitive label to facilitate its removal
by hand. See also: Slit Back, Back Split.
Starburst Holes:
Pin-feed holes which are characterized by jagged edges.
See also: Feed Slots, Pin-Fed Holes, Tractor Feed.
Static Cling
Label: A label that adheres to a substrate
by static electricity -- no adhesive is necessary.
Step Ladder:
A bar code symbology characterized by horizontal bars
and spaces. See also: Bar code/Bar code Symbol, Picket
Fence.
Storage Life:
See: Shelf Life.
Stretch:
See: Elongation.
Stub Roll:
A roll of pressure sensitive label stock that is very
short in length. See also: Butt Roll.
Substance/Substance
Number: See: Basis, Basis Weight.
Substrate:
The surface to which a pressure sensitive label is applied
or adhered.
Sunlight Resistance:
The ability of a material to resist the deteriorating
effects of sunlight, especially ultraviolet and infrared
wavelengths. Also referred to as being "fast to
light."
Super-Calendered:
See: Calender Finish.
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Tack:
The property of a pressure sensitive label which causes
it to adhere to a surface instantly with a minimum of
pressure and contact time (as measured by TLMI Tester
or equivalent equipment). See also: Quick Adhesion,
Touch Tack.
Tamper-Resistant
Label: A pressure sensitive construction
made with a weak face material so that (attempted) removal
of the label usually results in its destruction.
Tear Strength/Tearing
Strength: The force required to tear
a label specimen under standardized conditions using
an instrument designed to simulate the tearing encountered
under general use conditions.
Tear Tab: An
additional area of face material, next to the release
liner of a pressure sensitive label produced in single
form to facilitate removal of the release liner.
Tensile Strength:
The force parallel to the plane of
an applied label required to break a given width and
length of paper under specified conditions.
Thermal Transfer
Printing: An imprinting method that
uses heat and pressure to melt a wax-based ink onto
a label.
Thickness:
See: Caliper.
Tie Coat:
See: Anchor Coat, Barrier Coat, Primer.
Tipped-On Labels:
A method of label application in which the carrier is
peeled back and the labels fall or "tip" onto
the substrate.
Top Coat/Top
Coating: A substance coated onto a
label material that will enhance the printing or the
appearance of the finished label. For example, some
films are top coated to ensure better ink anchorage
to the surface of the material. See also: Clear Coat,
Lacquer, Overcoat, Protective Coating, Varnish.
Touch Tack:
See: Quick Adhesion, Tack.
TPI/Ties Per
Inch: In perforations, the number
of material ties that exist between each hole. See also:
Perforation.
Transfer Tape:
A coating of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to
a liner that is release-coated on both sides. This allows
a user to apply the tape to a surface and remove the
liner, leaving only the adhesive on the surface.
Tractor Feed:
See: Feed Slots, Pin-Fed Holes, Starburst Holes.
Transparency:
That property of a material which transmits light rays
so that objects can be clearly seen through the material.
Transparent
Label: A pressure sensitive label
of which the face material, adhesive, and protective
coatings transmit light so that objects can be seen
through it.
Tyvek®:
The brand name of DuPont's imprintable material originally
developed for automobile seat belt labels. It is virtually
indestructible and highly moisture-resistant.
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Varnish:
A heat-cured coating of one or more materials applied
to a face material for protection and/or decoration.
See also: Clear Coat, Lacquer, Overcoat, Protective
Coating, Top Coat/Top Coating.
Vegetable Parchment:
A grease-resistant, water-resistant paper resembling
animal parchment. It is made by passing unsized paper
through sulphuric acid in order to gelantinize its surface;
then, it is washed and dried.
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Waste:
See: Ladder, Matrix, Skeleton.
Water Soluble
Adhesive: See:
Adhesive: Water Soluble.
Wax resin ribbons:The
binder used with these ribbons includes both wax (30-70%)
and thermoplastic resin. Through the formation of multiple
layers in the ink layer, these ribbons provide both
the excellent printing transferability of the wax and
the superior durability of the resin. In comparison
with wax type ribbons, wax resin type ribbons offer
superior abrasion resistance. AS a result, reliability
is improved, and these ribbons are widely used with
both paper label are synthetic paper labels. Wax resin
ribbons are ideal for such applications such as distribution
control labels.
Wax ribbons:
The binder is about 50-90% wax. The melting characteristics
of the wax are used to provide excellent ink transferability,
and these ribbons are primarily used for printing on
paper labels. However, wax type labels offer poor heat
and abrasion resistance, so they are unsuitable for
printing images that will be stored for long period
of time.
Weatherability:
The capability of a material to withstand the effects
of weather.
Web:
A continuous sheet of pliable manufactured material.
Web Width:
The measurement of the web that is perpendicular to
the machine direction. Typically refers to the width
of the liner or carrier.
Wrinkling:
The puckering or creasing of a pliable material that
can result from environmental conditions and/or manufacturing
situations.
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Yellowing:
A defect characterized by a gradual color change in
the original appearance of white paper; the development
of yellowish or brownish hues.
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