There’s nothing more mundane than a serial number, right? Mundane or not, this information is still vital, especially when it comes to product recalls by Health Canada or simply for validating its maintenance. Ultimately, it’s your safety that’s at risk.
This serial number can usually be found on the label found on the product itself. Not only are labels used to display serial numbers, they’re also used to communicate any potential risks. Think about an all-terrain vehicle, a generator, a table saw, a refrigerator, an electric baseboard, etc. In all of these cases, the labels need to be resistant to heat, moisture, cold, scratches, etc.
The key to the challenge lies in using labels with glue adapted to these conditions. It’s also important to carefully choose the ink type and appropriate printing technology to make labels that are resistant during the equipment’s entire lifecycle.
Since the issue is user safety, there are several regulations governing the marketing of products and the organizations that test and certify manufactured equipment. Thus, manufacturers in electronics, aeronautics, petroleum, construction, automotive, food, medicine, and other industries need to have their equipment certified and display a label approved by regulatory agencies like the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) and the UL (Underwriters Laboratories). Once approved, a seal is issued to the manufacturer. For further information, please read this article.
In order to help manufacturers comply with CSA or UL guidelines, IMS has already developed combinations of pre-approved materials, inks and glues in solutions such as the IMS Perma Print labels. They have the advantage of having been used often and avoid the snares that can occur during product approval. In a certification process, the entire product, including the label, is taken into consideration. For more details, please read this article. If these solutions are inadequate, IMS will use all its expertise to develop an appropriate labelling solution.
Lastly and as simple as it may seem, choosing a label for a product that must comply with CSA/UL standards should not be taken lightly. After all, your safety is at risk. Don’t hesitate to speak to us about your certification process.