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Cold Temps Affect
VI Adhesive Performance
Shipping and Storage Environments Challenge
Thermal Transfer Technologies
Pressure-sensitive (PS) thermal transfer can be challenging in
cold warehouse environments where humidity and temperature
are unregulated. Without consistent environmental controls,
labels can be exposed to a range of usage temperatures. In
fact, with open loading doors and product sitting on docks, the
application temperature in shipping areas can be as cold as
30° F. Pressure-sensitive labels need to have suitable initial tack
to ensure proper adhesion to a variety of surfaces which can
include corrugated cardboard, shrink wrap, HDPE, LDPE and
PET plastics.
Cold temperatures below 40° F can cause many general
purpose PS adhesives to become firm, brittle. This means
labels that adhere well at higher room temperatures could have
lower initial tack at low temperatures. Even short exposure is
enough, in some cases, to cause the label to buckle and lift;
in others, labels could lose adherence a day later and fall off.
Label failure often means reprinting, reapplication and a loss in
productivity.
www.label.averydennison.com
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Understanding Minimum Application Temperature
Frustrated customers can of course move to an all-temperature
adhesive, which as a category, has a reported MAT below 0°F.
Most warehouse and shipping managers know that labelling
applications are greatly affected during the winter months
when temperatures are low. Accordingly, they work with
their converters to select an adhesive with an appropriate
Minimum Application Temperature (MAT) rating. The problem
is application temperature is different from the service
temperature range (STR).
However, the switch involves tradeoffs, which may include
lower converting speeds, creating a drop in productivity and
increase in cost for the converter.
By definition, the lowest temperature at which the adhesive will
function at the time of labeling is the application temperature.
STR is the temperature range over which the adhesive will
function while the label is in-use, after the label has been
applied and allowed to build to ultimate adhesion. It’s a key
distinction that can lead to confusion for those who expect the
MAT to be the environmental temperature at which the labels
“will work.”
Selecting the appropriate PS thermal transfer construction
requires an understanding of the application conditions over the
course of the whole year.
Converters and managers need to look at the service
temperature range as well as the minimum application
temperature to ensure the pressure-sensitive materials meet
application, substrate and performance needs.
For more information on cold temperature adhesive
performance for thermal transfer labelling, go to
label.averydennison.com
Understanding how temperature affects
adehsive performance
Converter specs, prints
and die-cuts label
Great tack and ultimate adhesion builds
to ensure accuracy and productivity
Low temp could firm up adhesive
High performance adhesives
work in broader application and
service temps
Leading to lower tack at application
Causing label failure
15040, 03/15, PDF
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product names, codes and service program terms are trademarks of Avery Dennison Corporation.
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