Polycarbonate (Lexan®) Materials Guide

We’re looking forward to the launch of our new website in 2009. It will be less of a “brochure” and more of a interactive resource for client’s labeling needs. www.drake.comWe’ve divided the site into 3 main sections: “For Engineers”, “For Buyers” and “For Artists”. This should save you some time when you get to the site. What follows below is something that you would find in the “For Engineers” section. In the coming weeks we’ll publish more of the Materials Guides.

10 Mil Lexan® is one of the most common materials we use. It is tough enough to stay looking good for a long while so it is perfect for branding. If write-on capability is required for a Lexan® label it is possible to add a polyester overlay.

Lexan® labels meet UL PGDQ2 and CSA LR 32470 regulatory requirements.

This is intended as a guide only. Achieving the desired effects for your label in terms of appearance and longevity require the correct materials and environmental considerations. Contact us at 800.531.5073 or sales@drake.com for material and adhesive specs or for a more thorough discussion of your needs.

Polycarbonate/Lexan® 10 Mil (Most Common Thickness)

Physical Properties
Suitable for Compound Curved Surfaces	No
Suitable for Flat and Curved Surfaces	Yes
High Temperature Resistance	Excellent
Dimensional Stability	Excellent
Water Resistance	Good
UV Resistance☼	Limited
Chemical and Solvent Resistance	Good
Abrasion Resistance	Good
Other
Colors Available: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, White, Blue, Brown, Black PMS Color Matching Available
Available with Fire and UV Resistance
Common uses include Branding and Recognition Labels, Instruction Labels, Identification Plates, Nameplates, Dials, Overlays/Panels and Serial Number Tags
Processes: Silk Screened or Digitally Printed, Die Cut to Customer Design and Waste Material Removed
UL PGDQ2, Component – Marking and Labeling Systems File Number (MH 14125 R)
CSA Canadian Standards Listed LR 32470
Adhesives for Labels in Sheets (Other Adhesives Available):
Pressure Sensitive Acrylic HSE (DI 907)	2 mil
	3.5 mil
Pressure Sensitive Acrylic HSE (DI 901)	5 mil
Other thicknesses are available (5 mil, 10 mil, 20 mil)
Options
Serial and Variable Data (Digital Press Only)	Yes
Barcodes (Digital Press Only)	Yes
Interior Cutout Size and Shape	Any
Clear Windows Size and Shape	Any
Exterior Shape	Any
Write On Surface∞	Yes
Optional Finish/Overlay in Matte or Clear

*Proper Adhesive should be chosen based on the specific application.

☼Continuous exposure to UV light may cause discoloration. We recommend polyester for extreme outdoor exposure.

∞Write on surface capabilities with an additional polyester overlay.

Contact us at 800.531.5073 or chris@drake.com for material and adhesive specs or for a more thorough discussion of your needs.

www.drake.com

Digging Diigo

This doesn’t have anything directly to do with labels but we want to make the Label This blog a useful resource. And since our readers do a lot of research on the internet this tool applies.

Diigo is a new web annotation tool that allows you to manage the information that you find on the internet. You knew there had to be an easier way… The really cool thing about Diigo is that it lets you share that information quickly and easily. Here’s a quick video that explains some of the basics.

If you have a blog all you have to do is install the Diigo toolbar, highlight what you are reading and you can have a blog post almost immediately. We also like the little Diigo widget that is provided.

Thanks to tracksuitceo[dot]com for the heads-up. Tracksuitceo is another really useful blog, but definetly nothing about labels here.

www.drake.com

Under Construction::Coming Soon

We found this great Knovel: Engineering Search Engine widget recently at widgetbox.com. Soon it will be a permanent fixture on the blog.

Future plans also include:

• A new website expected to launch in early ’09,
• Videos highlighting some interesting problems we have helped engineers to resolve,
• Regulatory issues, materials and adhesives items,
• Posts about our clients and their wide range of products, and
• Interesting assorted links.

Let us know if there are any specific topics you’d like to see addressed.

www.drake.com

Drake In Space

None of us were here at Drake Industries when our label was attached to this EVA unit but it is still thrilling to think that somehow, no matter how many degrees of separation apart, we were a part of this project. In subsequent posts we’ll show some of our other products that went up with other missions. But for now it is enough to consider a small contribution to the NASA legacy.

Labels and overlays aren’t the first things that are thought of when space travel comes up but even as the smallest switch is vital to the success of a mission, so is an identifying label.

www.drake.com 800.561.5073