The invention relates to a method for selecting a face material for a printable label and to a printed label comprising the face material, which is selected by the method. According to an embodiment the method comprises preselecting steps, printing step(s) comprising printing of the preselected face materials using printing method(s) providing a human-readable information and a machine-readable information, evaluating steps, and a final selecting step comprising selecting of the face material, which comprises the human-readable information exhibiting a halftone resolution at least 30 L/cm and the machine-readable information exhibiting final data area module size less than 1.0 mm.

A label web including a substrate is provided. The label web includes a first label removably affixed to a first side of the substrate. The first label is fabricated from a first material. A second label is removably affixed to the first side of the substrate adjacent to the first label in a side-by-side relationship. The second label is fabricated from a second material which differs from the first material. The first labels may be utilized to print desired information thereon and the second labels may fabricated from a transparent, protective material coating which may positioned on the first labels to discourage damage to the first labels from exposure to water or handling when the first labels are affixed to corresponding products.

A method includes printing, by one or more printer heads of the printing system, a reactive layer onto print media. The method also includes printing, by the one or more printer heads, a determined number of transmission layers and a determined number of barrier layers in alternation with one another. At least a portion of the reactive layer is configured to migrate through the transmission layers. The method further includes printing, by the one or more printer heads, a reactant layer that is configured to change color responsive to a reaction that occurs between the reactant layer and the reactive layer upon migration of the reactive layer through the determined number of transmission layers. The reaction is configured to occur on a received expiration date.

A color changing expiration indicator includes a reactive layer and a first barrier layer that covers at least a portion of the reactive layer. The color changing expiration indicator also includes a transmission layer that covers at least a portion of the first barrier layer, and a second barrier layer that covers at least a portion of the transmission layer. The color changing expiration indicator further includes a reactant layer that covers at least a portion of the second barrier layer. The reactant layer changes color responsive to a reaction that occurs between the reactant layer and the reactive layer.

Methods of preparing extended content labels from prefabricated adhesive assemblies are described. The methods do not require delamination or relamination of the prefabricated adhesive assemblies. The prefabricated adhesive assemblies include a transparent face layer and an adhesive layer sensitive to radiant energy. Extended content printing is applied to a front face of the face layer. A mask is positioned between the adhesive layer and a radiant energy source. Radiant energy not blocked by the mask reduces the adhesion of irradiated portions of the adhesive layer. A floodcoat is applied over the extended content indicia, and front side indicia is applied over the floodcoat and is visible through the face layer and adhesive layer from a back side of the face layer.

Methods of preparing extended content labels from prefabricated adhesive assemblies are described. The methods do not require delamination or relamination of the prefabricated adhesive assemblies. The prefabricated adhesive assemblies include a transparent face layer and an adhesive layer sensitive to radiant energy. Extended content printing is applied to a front face of the face layer. A mask is positioned between the adhesive layer and a radiant energy source. Radiant energy not blocked by the mask reduces the adhesion of irradiated portions of the adhesive layer. A floodcoat is applied over the extended content indicia, and front side indicia is applied over the floodcoat and is visible through the face layer and adhesive layer from a back side of the face layer.

A printer system includes a memory, a processor, and one or more printer heads. The processor determines a number of transmission layers and a number of barrier layers to use in a color changing expiration indicator based at least in part on a time period between a print date of the indicator and a received expiration date. The printer heads print a reactive layer onto print media, where at least a portion of the reactive layer is configured to migrate through the transmission layers. The printer heads also print the determined number of transmission layers and the determined number of barrier layers in alternation. The printer heads print a reactant layer that is configured to change color responsive to a reaction between the reactant layer and the reactive layer upon migration of the reactive layer through the transmission layers. The reaction is configured to occur on the received expiration date.

A method includes printing, by one or more printer heads of the printing system, a reactive layer onto print media. The method also includes printing, by the one or more printer heads, a determined number of transmission layers and a determined number of barrier layers in alternation with one another. At least a portion of the reactive layer is configured to migrate through the transmission layers. The method further includes printing, by the one or more printer heads, a reactant layer that is configured to change color responsive to a reaction that occurs between the reactant layer and the reactive layer upon migration of the reactive layer through the determined number of transmission layers. The reaction is configured to occur on a received expiration date.

A duplex liner for a shipping label. A method for making a liner for a shipping label comprises providing a first ply. The first is a clear plastic sheet. The method includes providing a second ply. The second ply comprises printable paper. The method comprises applying a copolymerized emulsion on an underside of the first ply, and using press rollers to press the first ply against the second ply to cause the copolymerized emulsion to fuse the first ply and the second ply.

A method and an arrangement for forming a label with an electrically conductive pattern (201), comprising the steps: providing a first roll (102) of a face material web (200); forming a conductive material (201) in a pattern corresponding to said electrically conductive pattern on a surface of the face material web; providing a second roll (106) of a backing material web (202); applying a layer of adhesive (204) on a surface of the backing material web; forming holes (205) in the backing material web, before or after said application of adhesive; bringing the backing material web and the face material web together, so that the conductive material and the adhesive are facing each other, between the face material web and the backing material web, and whereby the holes are arranged overlying dedicated contact areas formed in the electrically conductive pattern; laminating the face sheet material with the electrically conductive pattern and the backing sheet material with the adhesive together; and re-winding the laminated web on a third roll (113).