Lightning Labels Blog

Label Applicators - a Huge Time Saver

When you first call Lightning Labels to place a custom label order one of the questions you will be asked is whether your labels will be applied by hand or machine. The reason we ask this question is because an automatic label applicator will require the labels to come off the roll in a certain direction - known as unwind direction.

Now, we know that many of you apply your labels by hand but as your business grows you will find that applying the labels to your products takes more and more time. You can be much more productive with a label applicator. There are a large variety of machines, from simple label dispensers that cost just a couple of hundred dollars to fully automated systems that cost tens of thousands of dollars. You can buy applicators for applying labels to bottles, jars, lip balm canisters, lids - just about any product container or surface you can imagine.

Following is a short list of companies that offer label applicators. But first I should note that Lightning Labels does not have a relationship with any of these companies and does not endorse or recommend them. This list is just provided as a starting point for those considering purchasing a label applicator. Here is the list:

• Dispensa-matic - simple and inexpensive label dispensers. Also has some low end applicators for bottles.
• CTM Labeling Systems - a range of semi-automatic applicators to high speed, high accuracy custom labeling solutions. All machines are made in the USA.
• Busch Machinery - a large selection of automatic label applicators for a variety of container shapes. They have an excellent buyers guide where you can learn all about label applicators.

As your business grows you will find adding a label applicator will help make the task of product labeling more efficient and productive.

Understanding Bar Codes

Where would we be without the humble bar code? We would certainly be spending more time in the supermarket checkout line. Pretty much every retail product you buy these days has a bar code. This bar code is known as a UPC code and looks pretty much like the one above. I have written before about how you can obtain a UPC code, but here I am just covering the basics of the bar codes themselves.

The UPC (Universal Product Code) bar code is a 12 digit code used by manufacturers to identify themselves and their products. The first six digits are the manufacturer's number provided to them by the Uniform Code Council (now known as the GS1 Symbology Committee). The next five digits are the manufacturer's item number that is allocated to a specific product. Every single product a manufacturer sells including the same item of a different size carries its own unique five digit number. The last number is a calculated check digit that enables the scanner to verify that the number is correct.

Here at Lightning Labels we create UPC bar codes pretty much every day. We use the inbuilt functionality in CorelDraw to create a graphic file of the UPC, but you can also use a software package from such vendors as IDAutomation or Hallogram.

While most of the bar codes we do are UPC there are other bar codes we produce from time to time. The bar code above is what is known as a Code 39 (also known as Code 3 of 9). It is often used on name badges, to track inventory, and the post office uses it to track packages. You can encode letters and numbers, and often you will encode a start and stop character at the beginning and end of the data. If you want to keep track of your products internally this is a good bar code to use - we have a couple of customers who regularly request variable bar code labels using Code 39.

The bar code above is a Code 128 bar code. It is what is known as a high density symbology that encodes numbers, symbols, upper and lower case text as well as returns and tabs. It is known as high density because it takes up less space than other bar codes (such as code 39) as you can see here. To create a bar code 128 you will need a start character, a stop character, and a checksum character. We use the Code 128 Font Advantage Package from IDAutomation to create these bar codes - it comes with the Code 128 fonts and an Excel macro that you can use to generate the correct start, stop and checksum characters.

The world of bar codes can be quite complex and is changing rapidly. But these three bar codes are the most common - and the UPC bar code is so ubiquitous it will be around for a long time to come.

The Matrix of Labels

The matrix I am referring to with this title has nothing to do with a new Keanu Reeves movie, the matrix I am discussing here is part of the die cutting process. In a previous post I demonstrated how die cutting works, the diagram above gives you a different perspective on this process.

As you can see here a printed roll of labels begins as just a long uncut roll. As the labels pass under the die, the pressure from the sharp edges of the die cuts the label material and so the labels get their shape. To make the labels easy to apply the material that is between the labels is removed. This material is what is called the matrix. As you can see in the above diagram this matrix is removed and wound on a roller. So when you receive your labels they are easy to remove and apply.

This diagram is reproduced with the permission of Labels & Labeling magazine, and comes from their Label Encyclopedia, a valuable resource for anyone interested in the label industry.

File Formats and Cheap Label Design Software

Every few days we get a new customer who sends us some label artwork in an unusual file format. Just browse the aisles at your local Office Depot or Staples and you will see plenty of inexpensive choices of label design software in the $20-$30 range. Most of this software saves the graphic files in a proprietary format that no other program can open.

The main advantage of this kind of software is that it is inexpensive and it often comes with lots of templates that makes it relatively easy to create simple labels. This is probably all you will need if you intend on just printing your labels at home on your inkjet printer. The problem occurs when you try and send this file to your local printer to get professionally printed labels. Most label printers will not be able to use your file.

Don't worry, all is not lost. Most of these packages have a way to export the graphic file to an industry standard format such as a TIFF, JPEG or PDF. These are the kinds of files that every professional printer should be able to use.

For best quality printing we recommend you use Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to create your labels - this software will enables us to print high quality labels. Now, I realize you are looking at more than $500 for either software package, which may be out of reach for a startup or small business. In that case I recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements - which you can find online for less than $90. It has many of the features of its expensive sibling and can save to all the standard file formats.

Whatever software you use, just make sure that you can save your file to one of these standard industry formats. There is no point creating some nice looking labels yourself and then having to start over from scratch when you want professionally printed labels.

Die-Cutting: an Integral Part of Label Printing

When you buy blank labels from an office supply store they are always die-cut into shape. Then you print on these blank die-cut labels. In the world of professional label printing it works the other way around. We load a roll of blank label material into our digital label printer and we print on this material. Then we die cut the material into shape to create finished labels. Sounds easy, right.

Die cutting is actually a very complicated and intricate process where dozens of variables have to come together to produce a good looking finished label. Take a look at the above diagram. The cutting blade of the die has to cut through the label material with just enough strength to ensure a clean cut, but not too much strength that is cuts into the backing paper. As you can see here, this requires a great deal of precision.

The other difficult part in die-cutting is precisely aligning the die. While we certainly strive for a perfectly die-cut label, we are dealing with a roll of material this is moving through a machine, so some tiny shifts can occur. The tolerance for our die-cutters are plus or minus 1/32". For most labels you will never notice this tiny movement, but if you have a very thin border it can become noticeable. Now, we work hard to keep this movement to an absolute minimum, but the reality of working with a mechanical machine is that we can't eliminate it.

So, next time you peel off a beautifully die-cut label take a second to appreciate the effort and precision that went into bringing you this label. While we love to talk about the brilliant quality of our digital label printing, it is the die-cutting that provides you with a label you can actually use.

Professionally Printed Labels vs Do-It-Yourself

This email came in from a customer yesterday and I think it illustrates a good point for those considering switching from homemade labels to professionally printed labels:

"Just wanted to give you some feedback now that I’ve had the chance to use the labels.  Overall I’m very pleased with the design and the printing.  That BOPP material is terrific.  Regular paper labels will smear with a drop of moisture.  They also won’t tolerate containers rubbing together during transport.  The BOPP material doesn’t have any of those problems.  Also the adhesive sticks very well, but is forgiving if you have to remove the label to reposition it."

When you print labels yourself using inexpensive paper material there are several factors working against you. Paper labels are not durable at all, the ink will smear easily, and there is no protection for normal wear and tear. The labels might look fine after you put them on your bottles or jars but the question is will they look fine when they are in the hands of your customers?

Here at Lightning Labels our most popular material is our white BOPP. It looks great when printed, it is waterproof and oilproof, and it will hold up very well to normal wear and tear. To protect the printed ink on your labels we apply a thin laminate which further enhances the durability and visual appeal of your labels.

Now, I realize that for people just starting out homemade labels may be your first choice. But to compete with established companies you need professionally printed labels. They will not only enhance the look of your product, they will improve its durability. You can be confident that your labels will still look good after traveling halfway across the country in the heat of summer.

Multiple Label Versions Key for Best Pricing

One of the major advantages of digital label printing is the ability to gang-run multiple label versions together. With traditional flexographic printing, every different label would be a separate job and would work its way through the printing workflow as a standalone job. With digital label printing it is quite common to have dozens of different label versions printed together on the same job.

If you want to order short runs of multiple label versions, then you really have no option but to have them printed digitally, particularly if they are full color labels. With plates running anywhere from $40 - $70 for each color, multiple label versions can quickly become very expensive.

Here at Lightning Labels we charge just $5 for every additional label version of the same sized label using the same material. To take an example, say you have 10 different label versions and you just want to order 100 of each for a total of 1,000 labels. You would pay just $45 more (9 times $5 - the first version is free) than if you ordered just one version of 1,000. These prices are calculated automatically for you on our Instant Online Label Quoter.

Gang-running multiple label versions together will ensure you get the best price for your labels. We regularly do label jobs where there are more than 100 label versions on the one job. These customers know the pricing benefits of running multiple label versions together.

All About PMS and Pantone Colors

In printing PMS stands for Pantone Matching System. This is a system, developed by Pantone Inc., that is a color reference tool used to describe and define color. So when a label designer specifies PMS 186 in their artwork the printer will know exactly what color the designer is intending.

At the heart of the Pantone Matching System is a book that is now called the Pantone Color Bridge (it used to be called the Pantone Solid to Process Guide). It is a book of color swatches of over 1,000 different colors on 157 pages - an example page from the book is shown here.

Now, let's look more closely at this page to explain the different information that Pantone provides. You will notice two columns - labeled Solid and CMYK. The solid color shows the actual color from the ink manufacturer, CMYK (short for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) shows the four color process approximation to that color. You can see that in the example here the solid and CMYK colors are quite different.

CMYK is the worldwide standard for printing color, and it is what we use here at Lightning Labels to produce full color digitally printed custom labels. So when we print PMS 1767 we will be printing the CMYK approximation. Pantone also provides the RGB values - RGB is the standard used to display color on computer monitors. A recent enhancement from Pantone is the HTML color value - this is useful for web site designers to create accurate color on their web sites.

One final note about Pantone colors. Pantone recently changed the values for some of the CMYK colors. These changes have been reflected in QuarkXpress 7, and will be reflected in all the products of Adobe Creative Suite 3, which is being released this week. So, there may be some confusion about exact color matches until everyone has the new upgrades. What we tell everyone, if color is important to you, always demand a press proof of your labels before approving your order. As we go through the transition to the new Pantone Color Bridge this is more important than ever.

The Challenge of Printing on Clear Labels

We had a customer come in last week to order a job on some clear labels. He had been ordering blank clear material and printing the labels on his ink jet printer at home. But the colors looked all washed out when he put the labels on his jars. This highlights one of the major challenges for printing on clear material. The colors can change depending on the contents of your bottle or jar.

So how can you get around this? Well, if you are printing with a regular four color process printer like an ink jet printer there is not much you can do. What you need is to put a layer of white ink behind all the colors on the label - this way the colors will not appear washed out. Here at Lightning Labels, we add a layer of white on all our clear labels - it really does make the color stand out more and the color is less likely to change with the contents of the container.

Done well, clear labels can provide a unique "no label look" on your container. Next time you are at the supermarket check out some of the products with clear labels. If you look carefully you will probably be able to see a layer of white behind the colors. An excellent example of the use of clear labels is Fiji bottled water, they use white ink to great affect. Their front label is mostly blank - it just has some text and a small picture of a wildflower (with white ink behind). For their back label they use a technique called sandwich printing, where you can make your clear label appear to have a unique front and back design.

We recommend you receive a press proof whenever you order clear labels. This way you can put a sample of the label on your containers before your order is printed. This is critically important if your container is not clear or if you have colored contents. Your contents can subtly change how your clear labels will look even with white ink. But by printing white behind your colors you are sure to have the colors stand out better on your labels.

Top 10 Label Artwork Mistakes

A few months ago I wrote a post about the mistakes that many people make with their label artwork. Well, I have expanded on that list to make a Top 10 Label Artwork Mistakes list. For those of you who receive the Lightning Flash newsletter you will have already seen this list - here is a summary:

1. Missing Fonts
2. Missing Bleed
3. RGB vs CMYK files
4. Improper File Resolution
5. Tight Borders
6. Spelling and Typing Mistakes
7. Missing Graphics/Links
8. Unsupported Software Format
9. Color Expectations
10. Incorrectly Sized Artwork

Here is the complete article. By paying close attention to this list and avoiding these mistakes you will make the whole custom label ordering process much quicker and easier.