Plastic Labels

Plastic labels are identification labels that can be attached to both movable and fixed assets. They are designed to last the entire life of the item so the asset can be identified, and its availability, usage or life span can be easily tracked. Polymer tags or plastic labels come in a variety of sizes and designs to fit your application. Different adhesives, branding elements and materials are used to create custom asset tags for barcode labeling.

There are two main types of barcodes: linear barcodes and 2D barcodes (such as DataMatrix or QR codes). Linear barcodes hold one piece of information– normally a number that is used to identify, tag or track a product or asset. Linear, or traditional barcodes, can help businesses or retailers associate price, inventory levels and product returns using barcode labeling. 2D barcodes are designed to hold significantly more data than standard barcode stickers. 2D barcodes can include multiple pieces of data including the price and quantity but also extra identify information like photos or links to websites for additional information. To understand how to select a symbology for a linear barcode, read more.

Subsurface printing is a unique process that protects the plastic barcode label from chemicals, cleaning, abrasion and temperatures by reverse printing on the underside of the materials. That allows the image to be “right-read” once applied to the mounting surface. Subsurface printing doesn’t require a laminate, eliminating costs and the potential for plastic label delamination that comes with surface printing.

Metalcraft offers PMS and non-standard color options on our plastic/polyester labels at no additional charge!

Selecting the right barcode involves considering several factors, including type of information you need to encode, the environment in which the barcode will be used and compatibility with existing systems. Understanding your requirements when selecting the right type of barcode includes determining what type of information you need to encode, i.e., alphanumeric characters, numbers, special symbols, as well as determining whether you need a 1D (one-dimensional) or 2D (two-dimensional) barcode.

Environmental factors can affect the type of material used when selecting the right barcode. If you plan to use the barcode outdoors in extreme temperatures, consider our Metal Barcode Nameplates or Foil Barcode Labels. These are made of aluminum. This material is durable and suitable for hot or cold weather conditions. Plastic barcode labels are conducive to a more mild environment.

Lastly, when selecting the right barcode check to see if there are any specific barcode standards or symbologies required by your industry or partners. For more information or to get a quote, please contact us at 800-437-5283 or [email protected].

A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data in visual form. It consists of a series of parallel lines, spaces, or dots of varying widths and spacings. Each of these elements encodes information in a specific format. A barcode consists of start and stop characters for orientation, quiet zones for separation, and the encoded data itself in the form of bars, spaces or dots.

The arrangement of these elements follows a specific pattern dictated by the chosen barcode symbology. When scanned, a barcode reader decodes this pattern into the original information, which can be anything from product numbers to URLs or other data depending on the application.