[Nhcoll-l] Thermal label problems

Wed Jun 1 12:03:33 EDT 2016

During my first few months on the job I took a jar off the shelf and the label shifted, but all the letters and numbers stayed put. Then the text slowly drifted off like a dead fish snow globe.

I traced the problem to a batch of paper that we received from Alpha Systems (we have a Datamax-I). Since the paper was ordered before I started as collections manager, I'm not sure what the specifications were (the PO wasn't saved). We now use the supplier below to order paper (Part Number 01-400-CONT) and ribbon, and we haven't had any problems since.

HUNKAR DATA & BAR CODE SYSTEMS INC

13509 East Boundary Rd

Richmond VA 23112

United States

Phone: 804-744-9870

Fax: 513-272-0013

Contact: Suzie Clark

Sarah K. Huber, Ph.D.
Curatorial Associate, VIMS Nunnally Ichthyology Collection
Office 804.684.7104 | Collection 804.684.7285
skhuber at vims.edu | www.vims.edu
PO Box 1346 | 1375 Greate Rd., Gloucester Pt., VA 23062
________________________________
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] on behalf of Sidlauskas, Brian [Brian.Sidlauskas at oregonstate.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2016 11:49 AM
To: Jon Fong; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Thermal label problems

Hi Jon,

I had this problem crop up once on thermal labels printed on a Datamax-I series (4000 I think) printer using the Alpha Systems Preservation tag.  The labels had been exposed to a tank of fish specimens in isopropanol with a high content of lipids that had leached out of the specimens, and the ink fell off if rubbed gently with a gloved finger.   I have never replicated the problem, but it does somewhat terrify me.

Best Fishes,

-- Brian

--
Brian Sidlauskas
Associate Professor and Curator of Fishes
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
Oregon State University
104 Nash Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331

brian.sidlauskas at oregonstate.edu<mailto:brian.sidlauskas at oregonstate.edu>
541-737-6789<tel:541-737-6789> (office) 541-224-3850<tel:541-224-3850> (cell)
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__ichthyology.oregonstate.edu&d=AwIF-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=OhfyMawjtqNWHWkUgtvwaZxEp0Zf7TSZA5J9SmMispM&s=q5bjlp5SkVxuWAzqyUUfFRRr26nyR0-g7te6W-bKrCY&e= <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__ichthyology.oregonstate.edu_&d=AwMGaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=18wpiBaAPWv97_RLWsHiYF2qP7p3nb_p6OrFczBZpqs&s=yegBqnI5zjMUEUUFwk1ONobKX7bOMTIj7C1sdX6bH8A&e=>
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__people.oregonstate.edu_-7Esidlausb&d=AwIF-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=OhfyMawjtqNWHWkUgtvwaZxEp0Zf7TSZA5J9SmMispM&s=3rsIwbW-aFGnmaZpP6G06qDW_AJpdP8JdBmLphrLz4g&e= <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__people.oregonstate.edu_-7Esidlausb&d=AwMGaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=18wpiBaAPWv97_RLWsHiYF2qP7p3nb_p6OrFczBZpqs&s=i6i1gA8u30kDhhOgozK9Bn0lVvbs_emL5r9QE7WiAKc&e=>/
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.facebook.com_brian.sidlauskas&d=AwIF-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=OhfyMawjtqNWHWkUgtvwaZxEp0Zf7TSZA5J9SmMispM&s=1rEG4NP6IYbN_PB0Nb9_1_knTddIzQdFcxg4W_Ieqys&e= <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.facebook.com_brian.sidlauskas&d=AwMGaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=18wpiBaAPWv97_RLWsHiYF2qP7p3nb_p6OrFczBZpqs&s=CgFTQy6zCYf46j6gd1hRsA9p3yXJOX6noyohWSGeU6c&e=>
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_briansidlauskas&d=AwIF-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=OhfyMawjtqNWHWkUgtvwaZxEp0Zf7TSZA5J9SmMispM&s=QnEQVDPh-FCP0nMI_SzjJnf7p9QBq0QDptsKYtwSnXU&e= <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_briansidlauskas&d=AwMGaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=18wpiBaAPWv97_RLWsHiYF2qP7p3nb_p6OrFczBZpqs&s=Y1WkhZWWlRV3bhvt43uTVETDkjbk3fWd8jlo5jGAAgg&e=>

From: <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Jon Fong <jfong at calacademy.org>
Date: Friday, May 27, 2016 at 1:03 PM
To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Thermal label problems

We are having a label printer problem that supposedly no one else has, so I'm asking around to see if it really is only us, or whether that no one else has noticed.

The problem is that we are able to scrape off the ink with a fingernail from our thermal transfer labels after they've been soaked in ethanol for a few minutes. We're using a relatively new Datamax H-4408, with supposedly chemical-resistant resin ribbon, and polyester paper. This shouldn't happen, and I know that we've been able to successfully print labels where we couldn't scratch off the ink. With this printer.  But it keeps recurring, and we don't know whether it's the supplier (Alpha Systems), the manufacturer, our printer (lemon? doubtful, it's the second one), or us. Please answer this quick survey.

  1.  With a recently printed label, soaked in ethanol for a few minutes, are you able to scratch off ink with your fingernail?
  2.  What make/model of printer do you use?
  3.  What are the heat and print speed settings on the printer?
  4.  Which ribbon and paper do you use?
  5.  Who do you order your supplies from?
  6.  We've also had problems with fine white threads coming off the polyester paper and clogging the print head. Anyone else experience this?
Thanks for your time,
Jon

Jon D. Fong
Curatorial Assistant / Programmer
Dept. of Ichthyology
California Academy of Sciences
p. 415.379.5280<tel:415.379.5280>
jfong at calacademy.org<mailto:jfong at calacademy.org>
www.calacademy.org<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.calacademy.org_&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=DZDdm2wlHnfVgLhJharUgWRwNp9WCS41oYFq7-Q9QUA&s=JfMke5N_7qSiUljy0kSAvNoRhfZyGLPrDbfs_3vUf90&e=>

55 Music Concourse Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118

 Facebook<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_calacademy&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=DZDdm2wlHnfVgLhJharUgWRwNp9WCS41oYFq7-Q9QUA&s=xAfLziWHjuSl0GfE2jDKg34YMEaWGhMmztEy5rlGMZo&e=> | Twitter<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_calacademy&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=DZDdm2wlHnfVgLhJharUgWRwNp9WCS41oYFq7-Q9QUA&s=LvPebAmod9dKkLU0_R0ZIAwlzitIzicjiqCRXN79-bk&e=>

Discover nature’s secret language in Color of Life, a dazzling new exhibit—now open.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20160601/de7847c2/attachment.html 