We received a large order from a reasonably sized company who manufacture and supply the frames for supermarket delivery trucks.
This company wanted us to create and produce trailer nameplates for their vehicles. After a certain amount of use, the trailers are called back to the depot and undergo a sanitation and cleaning process. Not long after we’d fulfilled the order, the company got in touch with us to report that the designs were fading after only 6 to 8 weeks.
Fading designs
Not only that, but the nameplates were fading in a uniform fashion from left to right, from the solid black print to the base silver colour of the aluminium they were printed on.
This company had opted for these aluminium nameplates because they were not only cost-effective but also durable and modern in look. Needless to say, that to have the integrity and look of the nameplates compromised so quickly after manufacturing was a big problem.
Extensive testing
Once we received the complaint, we immediately began an investigation. We sent all of our inks for chemical testing, and the results came back completely normal. After that, we conducted tests on all of our varnishes for durability and imperfections, and the results were once again no help when it came to providing an explanation for the damage.
All of the substances we used in our manufacturing process passed each phase of testing, and we were at a loss to explain what was happening. Not to mention that there was no situation we could imagine where they would fade only from left to right.
An unexpected answer
Around five weeks from the time we received the initial complaint, we were once again contacted by the company in question, who had finally discovered what had been going on.
Coincidentally, they had been checking the CCTV for an unrelated issue and discovered that one of their workers was deliberately angling the jet washer at the nameplates while cleaning and sanitising the trailers. They were turning the jet washer on full, wedging it into a corner, and appeared to be timing how long it would take for the text on our nameplates to get washed off.
Our nameplates can withstand a lot, but they can’t stand deliberate destruction. In this case, we were just glad to find out the root cause of the issue.
Our aluminium nameplates can be silkscreen-printed, which produces a cost-effective surface-level print solution with limited long-term durability in harsh environments. But, we also offer anodic printing, which is resistant to abrasion and most chemicals, as well as chemical etching which stands up to both UV light and contact with harmful fluids.
With their wealth of knowledge, our staff will be more than happy to talk through ideas and processes to make sure a nameplate will be built to last. Call us now on 01473 820060 or contact us.
A SPECIALIST SUPPLIER OF LABELS AND NAMEPLATES TO THE ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
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Undersurface printing
On-roll Labels
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