PHARMA CASE STUDY

Extreme environment cleanroom labels

This case study customer aspires to be the best healthcare company in the world and is dedicated to providing leading innovations and solutions for tomorrow. Lgi has been a part of enabling this customer to achieve that vision since 2007 with Lgi CleanMark® cleanroom labels. Since 2007, Lgi has been successfully solving a variety of extreme environment cleanroom label identification challenges, resulting in a long, successful partnership. The story began when Lgi identified that this customer was modifying one of their cleanroom processes to accommodate a cleanroom label that did not support their desired approach. Contact Tri State Business Systems at 908-359-8001 or www.tri-statebussys.com

 THE CHALLENGE

From Persistence to Resistance

In order to ensure that lab samples would not be contaminated with any foreign particles, technicians thoroughly cleaned lab sample collection vessels with a heavy dose of IPA. The ideal process was to label the sample collection vessel prior to this IPA cleaning. Unfortunately, the old cleanroom label could only withstand a brief wipe with IPA without losing legibility of the cleanroom label that had been placed on the collection vessel. The inability of the cleanroom label’s ability to withstand this extreme environment, dictated a process change. The process was modified such that the collection vessel would first undergo the heavy doses of IPA prior to being labeled. Once the cleanroom label was applied, an additional step was added to wipe down the vessel again with a less aggressive cleaning. Although this new process solved the legibility issues, it added an additional step in their process and also created the possibility of contamination. The need was for an extreme environment class 100 cleanroom label that could be applied to the collection vessel prior to the IPA cleaning so the vessel could be thoroughly cleaned after the cleanroom label had been applied.

THE PROCESS & SOLUTIONS

Collaboration and Exploration

There was no commercially available extreme environment direct thermal printable cleanroom label material that met the class 100 cleanroom label requirements: 1. print the label in order to uniquely identify the collection vessel, 2. apply the label to the collection vessel and then, 3. thoroughly clean the vessel with aggressive amounts of IPA, while not losing legibility of the label’s print. Working closely with engineering, Lgi researched multiple materials and constructions that would meet these requirements. Multiple candidate constructions were developed and tested until the final solution was achieved.

This solution also included a print treatment which further improved the performance of this label. Finally, this extreme environment cleanroom label was qualified for use within the process.

Contact Tri State Business Systems at 908-359-8001 or www.tri-statebussys.com

I was present at the facility with their engineering team and printer supplier, Tri-State Business Systems, doing a demonstration of Lgi’s solution. Cloths soaked in IPA were placed over both Lgi’s new label and the old label. We met for about an hour on another project and came back to the demonstration at the end of that meeting. It was amazing to see how the new Lgi label retained its integrity and complete legibility and you could not discern anything on their old label.

— Bev Nelson, Account Manager, Lgi

 THE RESULT

Particular, but no particulates

The label solution that Lgi helped create, has led to multiple applications within this company. In addition to the original project, they now use Lgi CleanMark® cleanroom labels to meet a myriad of requirements. Customized adhesive characteristics on various surfaces and varying extreme environment requirements are all met with Lgi CleanMark® cleanroom labels. The most recent project required the Lgi solution to work in a microbe free cleanroom environment. Lgi was able to meet this requirement utilizing gamma sterilized CleanMark®cleanroom labels. Contact Tri State Business Systems at 908-359-8001 or www.tri-statebussys.com

3 Trends that impact Thermal Transfer Ribbons in 2019

Here are the top trends you can expect for Thermal Transfer Ribbons in 2019. Find out what you need to know to stay ahead in the thermal transfer industry.

1. Positive outlook in US manufacturing

The National Association of Manufacturers reports that US manufacturers’ optimism for the year reached 92.4%. While general purpose wax barcode labeling is common for shop floor materials management and logistics, wax resin and resin ribbons are outpacing GDP growth and are being used more for product identification. These higher durability ribbons, like TSBS Resin Printer Ribbons, perform well on BOPPs and polyesters used in automotive, industrial, chemical and outdoor applications.

2. Rise of personalization

According to Labels & Labeling, printing solutions are expected to become even more consumer-focused with packaging personalization and customization at the forefront. How can a thermal transfer ribbon provide customization? Printing color tags and labels can reinforce brand recognition and add visual highlights using existing thermal transfer equipment. Examples of TTR customization has been seen on pre-printed labels in cannabis, personal care products and even hardware.  Looking for a custom color? We can provide thermal transfer ribbons in any exact color match. Contact us for more information.

3. Niche market growth – flexible packaging

Smithers Pira predicts flexible packaging will grow +4%. A high percentage of packages require variable date coding and lot traceability – printed with thermal transfer, inkjet or laser. The new generation of vertical form-fill systems (VFFS) are capable of faster production speeds, greater versatility and improved sealing techniques. Thermal ribbons for flexible packaging printers that offer excellent print quality and durability at fast print speeds will remain in demand. Contact TSBS for all your barcoding needs 908-359-8001 www.tri-statebussys.com

Barcode labels seem simple, but they’re business critical. The right label conveys a quality brand, scans easily, stays adhered, and helps make sure the right products get to the right customers. But many companies buy the wrong labels and pay the hidden costs later:

• Reprinting and reapplying labels because they fall off or won’t scan
• Workflow interruptions caused by barcode labeling and printing issues
• Replacing expensive printheads too often

Do these headaches sound familiar to you? If so, there’s a better alternative: Zebra and TSBS!

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Genuine Zebra supplies are pre-tested and manufactured with the right composition to deliver the best possible adhesion, scannability, durability, and printhead lifespan.

• Minimize print downtime and unexpected printhead failure
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Unsurpassed Selection and Quality

Zebra has a complete selection of labels and supplies, including more than 500 stock products and over 1,000 combinations for virtually any format, printing requirement, or the environment. When you choose Zebra, you get high-quality, reliable labels, ribbons, and supplies for the most demanding requirements—including indoor/outdoor use, sunlight and moisture exposure, chemical and abrasion resistance, and much more.

Order Once for the Whole Year

With our Tri-State “Stock and Ship” program, you can buy your Zebra supplies with a single, annual order. Order once and we’ll send your supplies on a fixed schedule. If your demand is suddenly higher, contact us and we’ll promptly ship your next supplies sooner.

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If you use Zebra printers and agree to use genuine Zebra supplies exclusively, you get guaranteed protection against unexpected printhead replacement costs. If you have a printhead that fails prematurely, it will be replaced at no charge!

Learn More and Request a Quote

Getting started with Zebra supplies is easy. Contact our supplies experts at Tri-State Business Systems for a free consultation and quote.

p: 908-359-8001
e: sales@tri-statebussys.com