Pressure Sensitive Labels (PSL)

Sharing Session

Prepared by:
Adi Hosea Prayoga – Country Sales Manager MCC Indonesia
Topics…
• Label as decoration packaging
• What is Pressure Sensitive Labels (PSL)?
• Label stock value chain
• Material Specification (One Way)
• PSL Printing Process
• Quality Control
• Labelling Process
• Potential Labelling Issue
• Innovation and Sustainability
• Q&A
Label stock value chain

•Paper & film •Lamination •Companies •All companies •Private &

•Adhesives •Roughly specialized in with labelng industrial
•Silicones dozen label needs usage of
•Typically large suppliers per converting •Mainly labelled
companies continent • ~ 2500 packaged products
•UPM Label in Europe, goods
papers mainly SME's companies
 What is PSL?
PSL is a label with pre-coated adhesive and will exhibits maximum bonding
power when applied with pressure.
What is PSL?

• Printing is done on the facestock and then die-cut into the shape before
the waste matrix is removed
Facestock selection….
• Facestock- Paper and Film

• Paper
Top-coat
Semi-coated
Uncoated
Others
Facestock selection….
• Film
Polyethylene (PE)
Polypropylene (PP)
Polyester (PET)
Others (Polyolefin, PO; Poly Vinly Chloride, PVC etc)
Face material selection consideration
• Service temperatures
• Environmental conditions (UV, Humidity, Chemical Resistance etc)
• Abrasion & Tear Resistance
• Type of Print
• Print Quality
• Tactile & Other Properties
• Substrate (Flat, Curved, Rough etc)
• Method of dispensing & Application
• Cost
PSL Adhesive classification…
PSL Adhesive classification…
By carrier
• Dispersion adhesives
• water based systems
• water evaporates during drying of the adhesive
• Hot-melt adhesives
• 100% solid adhesives, melted prior to coating
• after cooling down regains the solid form
• UV hot-melt adhesives
• 100% solid adhesives, melted prior to coating
• crosslinked with UV-radiation after coating
• Solvent adhesives
• carrier is a solvent which evaporates during drying
• not in use at all in Raflatac
PSL Adhesive classification…
By chemical composition
• Acrylic adhesives
• based on synthetic acrylic polymers
• water-based and UV-hotmelt adhesives
• characteristically tacky and can be used without any modification
• polar in nature

• Rubber based adhesives

• based either on synthetic or natural rubber or a blend
• hotmelt adhesives, water-based removables
• always need modification
• unpolar in nature
PSL Adhesive classification…
By performance

• Removable adhesive – remains removable indefinitely

• Semi-permanent adhesive – remains removable for certain period of

time and then becomes permanent.
Removable adhesive 🡪 Permanent adhesive with time

• Permanent adhesive – becomes permanent immediately on

application and cannot be removed
PSL Adhesive classification…
By performance
Information needed for adhesive selection
• Function - Removable, repositionable or permanent?
• Labeling / application - What is the label face material? – adhesives for
paper faces are different to those for filmics
• Labeling / application - What is the surface made of – glass, PE, PP, PVC,
PET, metal, cardboard?
• Labeling / application - What is the condition of surface – smooth, rough,
dry , cold & condensated?
• After labeling / application - What are the exposure conditions – outdoor/
indoor, wet/ dry, temperature (cold/ warm), humidity?
• After labeling / application - Would the components of the adhesive
migrate through the surface into the contents?
• End use application - Direct or indirect food regulations?
• End use application - Is an approval from the FDA, Underwriters
Laboratory, ISEGA or EU Directive needed?
Liner selection…
• Liner- to prevent a sticky surface from prematurely adhering, and carry
the labels until application
How to choose the right stock….
1. What is the label's main use? (product label, information label, promotional?)

2. What effect do we need to achieve? (multi colour, gloss, clear no label look, etc.)

3. Printing / converting process?

4. On what substrate will it need to stick? (glass, metal, plastic (what type of plastic),
paper, etc)

5. Surface - Is the substrate smooth, rough, moist / condensated, oily etc?

6. Substrate - rigid, flexible, flat or round? (if round, what’s the diameter)

7. How is the label applied? (automatic applicator or manually)

8. Labelling condition - will it get hot, cold, wet, dry? (wet fill, hot fill, chilled, heated)

9. End use condition – indoor, outdoor, chilled, frozen, wet, hot?

Requirement in different end uses…
Beverage Food
- Adhesion to glass, - Variety of face
PET selection, can be
- Clarity of face, most paper or film
of the time film face - Adhesion to different
- Clarity of adhesive surfaces, humid
conditions (PA, PP,
- Water resistant face PET, glass)
& adhesive
- Grease / oil
- Water whitening resistance
resistant adhesive
- General purpose
- Adhesive for chilled adhesive or adhesive
& wet condition for wide temperature
- Resistance to range e.g labelling at
pasteurization room temperature but
stored in chilled or
- Face can be TC or
frozen condition
NTC
- Indirect or direct food
contact approval e.g.
EU directive, ISEGA,
FDA
Home & Personal A4 / Cut-size
Care (HPC)
- Variety of face - For inkjet or laserjet
selection, can be paper printing
or film - Flatness of cut-sheet
- General purpose (roll to sheet / sheet
adhesive to sheet) – before or
- Water resistant after printing
adhesive - Adhesive that
- Adhesion to HDPE, PP, withstands heat &
doesn’t ooze
PET, glass (mostly to
non-polar surfaces) - Facestock must be
inkjet or laserjet
- Clarity & wet out,
printable
resistance to UV
- Resistance to
chemicals (oil,
fragrances, vitamins)
- Squeezability /
conformability
Requirement in different end uses…

Wine Retail Security & Durables

Protection

- Adhesion on glass - Direct thermal or TTR - Level of protection - Demanding applications

- Labelling at 5-10oC, printable - Threat to be addressed e.g. electronic,
condensated/moist - Resistance to plasticizer automotive, electrical
- Product tampering 🡺 appliances, household
surface - Resistance to oil & tamper evident labels devices
- Ice bucket resistance – moisture - Counterfeiting 🡺
immersion in ice/water - Heat resistance
- Dry or moist surface authentication labels
for up to 24 hrs - Chemical/solvent
- Some cases require - Product diversion / grey resistance
- Wet-strength papers – incorporation of RFID market 🡺 unique ID labels
moisture resistant inlay - Long life span
- Different finishing / - Adhesion on low & high
texture on facestock surface energy surface &
- Neck label to be less rough surface
stiff - Outdoor application
- Returnable or - UL approval
non-returnable - Face TC & TTR printable
application
Requirement in different end uses…

Pharmaceutical Logistic & transport Oil & industrial Tyre

chemicals

- Adhesion to plastic - High tear resistance - Adhesion to rough - Adhesion on rough

(PP, PET, PE, PVC) or - Direct thermal or TTR surfaces surface
glass surfaces printing - Conformability (freshly - Adhesion on wide
- Adhesion to small - Multilayer – courier labels blow moulded temperature range
diameter containers containers) - No adhesive penetration
e.g. ampules, vials 🡺 - Some cases require
- Adhesion in wide temp. to face
high adhesion & flexible incorporation of RFID
inlay range, water resistance
face
- Durability and weather
- For some applications - resistance
non-migrating adhesive - Resistance to chemicals
- Fine fonts printing (oil, detergents,
solvents)
- TTR printability (some
applications)
PSL Printing Process
PSL Printing Process
PSL Printing Process

• Printing
UV Flexo
UV Screen
Solvent Gravure
PSL Printing Process
Flexo Printing Process

• Pros
• Good dot reproduction
• Quick change-overs
• Moderate run speeds
• Low cost plates
• Cons
• Low opacity (flexo only)
• Non-tactile (flexo only)
• Narrow web width Doctor blade
PSL Printing Process
PSL Printing Process
Gravure Printing Process
• Pros
• Excellent dot reproduction
• Wider web width (for full Gravure machine)
• Highest run speeds
• Good opacity
• Excellent metallics

• Cons
• Non-tactile
• Less decoration features
• Higher cost cylinders
• Longer lead times
PSL Printing Process
PSL Printing Process
Screen Printing Process

• Pros
• Good tactile feel
• Good opacity/color intensity
• Good durability
• Combination printing

• Cons
• Narrow web width
• Higher screen cost
• Slower run speeds
PSL Printing Process
• Other features can be produced using the combination printing press
• Hot Foil
• Cold Foil
• Lamination
• Double label
• Gravure
• Holographic
• Scented
• Pearlescent
• Thermocromic
Quality Control
Quality Control
• Pre-press management
Before
Printing
• Ink maker

• EyeC Proofiler
During
Printing
• EyeC Proof Runner

After
• EyeC Proof Runner
Printing
Quality Control

• Before Printing: Pre-press management

• In house plate making: ensure plate

outputting result is consistent and
meeting the required printing
parameters

• To keep confidentiality of new artworks

• Environmental friendly
Quality Control

• Before Printing: Ink Maker

• In house ink mixing. Colour information such as individual ink

component and quantity to use will be stored in the system

• This will ensure colour consistency from time to time

Quality Control

• During Printing: EyeC Proofiler

• Electronic proof reading system
• Comparison to the Customer approved PDF
• Identifies imperfections during setup, just before the commercial run
Quality Control
• During Printing: EyeC Proof
Runner
• Comparison to the first
print during Proofiler
• Automatic (visual and
audible) feedback to printer
• Complete Audit trail and
traceability
• Possibility to control the
press
Quality Control
• After Printing: EyeC Proof Runner
• Second Vision Camera Inspection
• Parameters set – consistent to the
press
• Complete audit trail and traceability
• C.O.A. Reports can be produced
• Automatically stops the rewinder - edit
the waste product
• Individual barcode reading and
verification
• Individual variable code reading and
verification with full reporting
capability
Labelling Process
Machine Construction
Machine Construction
Machine Construction
• Linear/Rotary Comparisons : Linear
Gain
• Easier product transfer
• Easier inspection
• Cheaper than Rotary
• Quicker change over
• Flat sided products better than
Rotary
• Simpler application
• Easier access for maintenance
Losses
• Less speed capable
• Round products difficult to finish
• Product orientation
• Relies on friction for retention
• Operator access required to both
sides
• Large footprint
Machine Construction
• Linear/Rotary Comparisons : Rotary
Gain Losses
• Better product handling • More expensive
• Better orientation • Longer changeovers
• Definitive pitch control • More changed parts – expense / storage
• Flexible servos – panel/wrap • Flat sided products difficult
• Higher throughput – 750 p/m • Difficult to manage inspection
• Operator access –single side • Control signals and maintenance
Application Techniques
• Application Techniques : Simple Panel (s)
Application Techniques
• Application Techniques :Two-Stage Wipe-Down
Application Techniques
• Application Techniques :Two-Stage Wipe-Down
Application Techniques
• Application Techniques : Flag Wrap
Application Techniques
• Application Techniques : Label into Wrap
Label Dispensing
In Line Applicator – Stepped Squeegee Wipe Set Up, “Barn Door”
Label Dispensing
Application Techniques : Pre-dispense Phase 1
Label Dispensing
Application Techniques : Pre-dispense Phase 2
Label Dispensing
Application Techniques : Pre-dispense Phase 3
Label Dispensing
Application Techniques : Pre-dispense Phase 4
Label Dispensing
Application Techniques : Pre-dispense Phase 5
Label Dispensing
Stepped Squeegee Label Wipe Down
Potential Labelling Issue
Potential Labelling Issue
• Backing liner breakage
• Die cut is too deep
• Cuts or tears on the edge of the roll
• Web tension/applicator set too high

• Labels not dispensing

• Die cut too deep into liner, adhesive flow into cut in liner
• Release of liner is too high
• Facestock is too flexible to dispense
• Not enough hold down spring/pressure shoe
• Worn peel plate
• Static build up
Potential Labelling Issue
• Labels pre ‘dispense off” label stock roll
• Adhesive particles on face of roll
• Facestock is too stiff
• Roll is wound too tightly causing adhesive edge bleeding
• Release level of liner is too low

• Mis-register of applied labels

• Labels slipping on liner
• Dirty or defective label sensor
• Container/product slipping or vibrating
Potential Labelling Issue
• Labels do not stick on bottles
• Moisture on substrate, condensation
• Contents migrating through container
• Surface not clean
• Rough surface of container
• Adhesive adhesion is too low
• Adhesive not compatible with substrate
• Temperature of substrate too low

• Labels double feeding

• Matrix waste left between labels on liner
• Label sensor sensitivity set too low
• Roll is wound too tight
Potential Labelling Issue
• Wrinkles of labels after application
• Condensation, moisture in air
• Substrate unstable
• Incorrect peel tip angle
• Wipe down angle, pressure adjustment
• Label to line speed ratio too high

• Air bubbles under label

• Container surface not smooth
• Incorrect wipe down angle and method
• Hot fill container outgas
Question….?