Labelling Prototypes
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From: E on 5 Jul 2010 13:52 "Ian Bell" <ruffrecords(a)yahoo.com> kirjoitti viestiss�:i0sv1p$600$1(a)localhost.localdomain... > What do you guys use for labelling prototypes? I am thinking particularly > of control panels (19 in rack mounting for example) containing pots, > toggle and rotary switched all of which need labelling. So far I have > looked at iron on T shirt printer paper, special transparent overhead > projector type film with built in adhesive and contacted a company that > does custom stick-on vinyl decals. I need something I can design easily > myself on a PC and either produce myself or have produced at reasonable > cost. Any one of more of the above might work but before I take the plunge > I thought I would ask what others use??? > I use white PVC electrical tape and marker pens. Cheap & gets the job done. -ek
From: Spehro Pefhany on 5 Jul 2010 13:59 On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 10:15:22 -0700 (PDT), mpm <mpmillard(a)aol.com> wrote: >On Jul 5, 10:51�am, Ian Bell <ruffreco...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> What do you guys use for labelling prototypes? I am thinking >> particularly of control panels (19 in rack mounting for example) >> containing pots, toggle and rotary switched all of which need labelling. >> So far I have looked at iron on T shirt printer paper, special >> transparent overhead projector type film with built in adhesive and >> contacted a company that does custom stick-on vinyl decals. I need >> something I can design easily myself on a PC and either produce myself >> or have produced at reasonable cost. Any one of more of the above might >> work but before I take the plunge I thought I would ask what others use??? >> >> Cheers >> >> Ian > >Silkscreening. Even if a one-off. >Cheap, easy, professional-looking results. Eggsactly. If it's just a one-off there is so much engineering cost in it that the small overhead to make it look just _fabulous_ is not not signficant. I suppose I could dredge up my Dymo labeller for that 1960-70s look, but why? http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/la/110708label-05.jpg/110708label-05.jpg http://dianediana.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/blackwhite.jpg?w=500&h=243 >The setup I use (Speedball, I think), has reusable screens, so once >you get going, you can change as often as your mind does. AFAIK, all screens are re-usable until you break them. Most have the same process- get the material stretched onto the frame (or buy it as such), coat with emulsion (in film or liquid), allow it to dry, expose with bright light (or UV), develop (warm water), allow to dry, harden (optional), and use. No really nasty chemicals other than the ink solvents (and you can use UV cured if you like which will minimize VOCs, but the minimum quantities for some colors are prohibitive IMHO, like $400 a color for some transparents). BTW, that T-shirt screen maker has a pretty coarse mesh for doing panel markings. Acceptable, perhaps, if you can design for it. >The only major investment for me was the light stand, though you could >probably DIY roll your own. >The lightbulb is about $10, and at least here, available locally. >5000K, I think. A Photo-Flood #12, IIRC. > >Good luck. >- mpm Craft and art stores sell screen printing kits (eg. Speedball). They might not be optimal for graphic arts as opposed to fine arts type applications.
From: John Larkin on 5 Jul 2010 14:11 On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 10:15:22 -0700 (PDT), mpm <mpmillard(a)aol.com> wrote: >On Jul 5, 10:51�am, Ian Bell <ruffreco...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> What do you guys use for labelling prototypes? I am thinking >> particularly of control panels (19 in rack mounting for example) >> containing pots, toggle and rotary switched all of which need labelling. >> So far I have looked at iron on T shirt printer paper, special >> transparent overhead projector type film with built in adhesive and >> contacted a company that does custom stick-on vinyl decals. I need >> something I can design easily myself on a PC and either produce myself >> or have produced at reasonable cost. Any one of more of the above might >> work but before I take the plunge I thought I would ask what others use??? >> >> Cheers >> >> Ian > >Silkscreening. Even if a one-off. >Cheap, easy, professional-looking results. > >The setup I use (Speedball, I think), has reusable screens, so once >you get going, you can change as often as your mind does. >The only major investment for me was the light stand, though you could >probably DIY roll your own. >The lightbulb is about $10, and at least here, available locally. >5000K, I think. A Photo-Flood #12, IIRC. > >Good luck. >- mpm We make nice looking labels with an inkjet color printer and some sort of adhesive paper stuff. They're good enough to use for product photos, or to put on eval loaners for customers to play with. For production, we just send the same file to a label company. These photos used fake labels: http://www.highlandtechnology.com/DSS/T750DS.html http://www.highlandtechnology.com/DSS/P730DS.html You can even include little translucent windows for LED indications. They are a little denser on the paper protos than the real polycarb labels. John
From: Martin Riddle on 5 Jul 2010 14:47 "John Larkin" <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote in message news:vl7436de1hnp42vtgssfvor6va15d8ee2a(a)4ax.com... > On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 10:15:22 -0700 (PDT), mpm <mpmillard(a)aol.com> > wrote: > >>On Jul 5, 10:51 am, Ian Bell <ruffreco...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>> What do you guys use for labelling prototypes? I am thinking >>> particularly of control panels (19 in rack mounting for example) >>> containing pots, toggle and rotary switched all of which need >>> labelling. >>> So far I have looked at iron on T shirt printer paper, special >>> transparent overhead projector type film with built in adhesive and >>> contacted a company that does custom stick-on vinyl decals. I need >>> something I can design easily myself on a PC and either produce >>> myself >>> or have produced at reasonable cost. Any one of more of the above >>> might >>> work but before I take the plunge I thought I would ask what others >>> use??? >>> >>> Cheers >>> >>> Ian >> >>Silkscreening. Even if a one-off. >>Cheap, easy, professional-looking results. >> >>The setup I use (Speedball, I think), has reusable screens, so once >>you get going, you can change as often as your mind does. >>The only major investment for me was the light stand, though you could >>probably DIY roll your own. >>The lightbulb is about $10, and at least here, available locally. >>5000K, I think. A Photo-Flood #12, IIRC. >> >>Good luck. >>- mpm > > We make nice looking labels with an inkjet color printer and some sort > of adhesive paper stuff. They're good enough to use for product > photos, or to put on eval loaners for customers to play with. For > production, we just send the same file to a label company. > > These photos used fake labels: > > http://www.highlandtechnology.com/DSS/T750DS.html > > http://www.highlandtechnology.com/DSS/P730DS.html > > You can even include little translucent windows for LED indications. > They are a little denser on the paper protos than the real polycarb > labels. > > John > You can make labels with some Avery stuff, they have a clear label thats good for covering the top of a finished Avery label. Cheers
From: StickThatInYourPipeAndSmokeIt on 5 Jul 2010 15:05
On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 14:47:19 -0400, "Martin Riddle" <martin_rid(a)verizon.net> wrote: > > >"John Larkin" <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote in >message news:vl7436de1hnp42vtgssfvor6va15d8ee2a(a)4ax.com... >> On Mon, 5 Jul 2010 10:15:22 -0700 (PDT), mpm <mpmillard(a)aol.com> >> wrote: >> >>>On Jul 5, 10:51 am, Ian Bell <ruffreco...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>>> What do you guys use for labelling prototypes? I am thinking >>>> particularly of control panels (19 in rack mounting for example) >>>> containing pots, toggle and rotary switched all of which need >>>> labelling. >>>> So far I have looked at iron on T shirt printer paper, special >>>> transparent overhead projector type film with built in adhesive and >>>> contacted a company that does custom stick-on vinyl decals. I need >>>> something I can design easily myself on a PC and either produce >>>> myself >>>> or have produced at reasonable cost. Any one of more of the above >>>> might >>>> work but before I take the plunge I thought I would ask what others >>>> use??? >>>> >>>> Cheers >>>> >>>> Ian >>> >>>Silkscreening. Even if a one-off. >>>Cheap, easy, professional-looking results. >>> >>>The setup I use (Speedball, I think), has reusable screens, so once >>>you get going, you can change as often as your mind does. >>>The only major investment for me was the light stand, though you could >>>probably DIY roll your own. >>>The lightbulb is about $10, and at least here, available locally. >>>5000K, I think. A Photo-Flood #12, IIRC. >>> >>>Good luck. >>>- mpm >> >> We make nice looking labels with an inkjet color printer and some sort >> of adhesive paper stuff. They're good enough to use for product >> photos, or to put on eval loaners for customers to play with. For >> production, we just send the same file to a label company. >> >> These photos used fake labels: >> >> http://www.highlandtechnology.com/DSS/T750DS.html >> >> http://www.highlandtechnology.com/DSS/P730DS.html >> >> You can even include little translucent windows for LED indications. >> They are a little denser on the paper protos than the real polycarb >> labels. >> >> John >> > >You can make labels with some Avery stuff, they have a clear label thats >good for covering the top of a finished Avery label. > >Cheers > > Brady also sells label stock that has clear covers for each. I have also bought Brady roll stock, made for their printers as it is cheaper. Then, I can cut and paste (literally) an entire label onto a cut sheet and then print onto it. Ends up a bit cheaper than cut sheet label stock, but then gets re-costed in the labor it takes to set up the print job. |