Labeling the project box

[MP]

Here is a continue of the message that was started in the microprocessor area...

For labeling, I have used a material in the past that was manufactured by 3M.
This is a vinyl material. It is pretty thick, no worry about tearing or stretching it. You can also get it in a thin metal. I have used both. The material is coated with a light sensitive paint. I tried red and blue, but used the black mostly. You make the design layout in a cad program and print it to a transparency. You can use a black light or UV light to expose the label. All the parts of the label where the light hits is hardened. All of the areas where the light cannot touch is still soft. The next step is to wipe it with rubbing alcohol until the label shows all of your art or lettering. After that, you rinse in water and have a professional label. I have used the white vinyl with black paint which gives you a black label with white lettering and symbols, etc. and I have used the silver metal with black paint on it. This gives you a black metal label with silver lettering and artwork. You can reverse the artwork like a negative and switch which color is background and which is the lettering color.
This material was widely used by graphic arts shops and was not easy to find. I still have a box for the 12" x 24" black on white vinyl. This is the size I purchased because I was using it on 19" rack mount panels. The box reads: 3M ID# 70-0061-5797-1. Also reads: Product # 8015.
The distributor who I had been purchasing it from is no longer in business and I no longer have a source. :-\ Perhaps with others also searching, we can find a new source.
Kepro circuits used to also carry a similar product, which is where I originally found out about this. I searched for the part numbers on their repackaged material and found the other source. Kepro sold the developer for a high price, but when I requested the MSDS sheet, I found out that the only ingredient in the developer also went by the name of "rubbing alcohol". So, all you need is the rubbing alcohol to develop this. No dangerous chemicals and no reactions. ;)

Hope this is informative.

MP
:D

[MP]

For those who have been searching the web for the material I spoke about in the last post, I contacted 3M to get an update on the product.
Here is the reply I have received today:

************************************ snip
Thank you for your inquiry of 3M! The product you are searching for was called Dynamark II. 3M discontinued this product line 7/8 years ago. No replacement is available either. There are a couple of our distributors who did find a similar type product from OUS. You could try them. VPC at 800-447-1944 and Metal Photo at 800-482-7758.
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If anyone finds the similar product and a web link, please post it here for all.

MP

[mixos]

:'( :'( Bad to hear it! I searched on the net and found nothing either.

What means "OUS" here: "....who did find a similar type product from OUS"

Now i am going to search:

VPC at 800-447-1944
Metal Photo at 800-482-7758

I will post later the results.

Also another way to label boxes is the Toner Transfer Method from Pulsar.gs

You can find more info about this product on their site, but i think you can't label BLACK or dark color boxes.

[MP]

OUS was meaning Outside the US.

Did you find anything out from those sources? I have not had a chance to pursue it since my last post.

MP

[mixos]

Unluckelly i didn't find anything! :(

[MP]

Here is an update:
VPC has it.
From their description:
***3M discontinued Dynamark.***

Quick-Mark

Quick-Mark has replaced 3M's Dynamark as the preferred method for short run, rapid, in-house production of durable, self-adhesive signs, placards. Quick-Mark is UL approved and is used by NASA on the space station and shuttle.

http://www.vpcinc.com/Products/dynamark.htm

The down side of this is that they have increased the price from what I paid for it several years ago with 3M. Perhaps it is worth more, now that they use it in the space station and space shuttle. ::)

MP