Labels are significant for all products, including safety products and electrical products. The labels must be durable and long-lasting because of the critical information that the label contains.

An ink test is usually performed on all labels to ensure they are durable enough to stand the test of time. The benefits of ink rub testing are that it helps enhance product safety, ensures compliance with international standards, and provides long-lasting product value. 

What is an ink trub test?

An ink rub test is a test of a label whereby a label is rubbed against an abrasive. It might be rubbed several hundred times, and afterwards, the label is inspected for the readability of the information on the label. Different fluids can also be employed, such as alcohol and even soaps.

While testing is usually done for equipment where the label is integral to safety, any product label or even brochure can undergo rub testing. This testing can be used in any application where the ink mustn’t fade away due to abrasion.

Here are ways to measure product durability.

Temperature testing

Temperature testing is conducted in laboratories, whereby reliable equipment is used to measure the elevated behaviors of materials when put to adverse temperatures. At this point, the high-temperature testing is conducted at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. The ink test product is exposed to a furnace of 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Corrosion Testing 

Corrosion can damage the product permanently. It can damage the product’s reputation, safety, health, and commercial elements. It can also lead to loss of income due to its unappealing nature, especially if it fails the ink test. It will undergo several tests to ensure the product is anti-corrosive, including high-quality corrosion-resistant and high-pressure vessels, electrochemical monitoring, scanning, 3D laser profiling, and electron microscopy. 

Tensile Testing

Tensile testing is done by subjecting the product to a testing frame, and pressure is systematically added. As the pressure supply increases, the extensometer measures the strain of the product. The data is recorded to determine its durability.

Vibration Testing

Vibration testing is conducted within a laboratory or on the production floor. Servo-hydraulic shaker or electrodynamic vibration table is used to produce shock vibrations to the product using software and hardware, measuring the produced pressure and control of the recorded vibration results. 

Ageing Testing 

Sped-up conditions advance the ageing process to test the product to its limits. This is a laboratory test whereby the product is subjected to continuous stress and sped-up conditions to determine its lifespan. The ageing test is conducted at the owner’s desired frequency.

Fatigue Testing

Fatigue testing determines how a product depreciates over time. Constant force is added to the product to see how much it can stand before breaking. A tabletop machine is used to simulate rapid progress motion to determine how long it can stand the force.

Cracks on the product are the first signs that will be apparent. However, with time, the cracks become more prominent, deeper, and longer, to the point the product cannot withstand more force. With more emphasis on development, it will break. 

Testing the durability of a product has numerous benefits. Some of these benefits are underlined.

Increases Product Safety

One benefit to ink rub testing is that product safety is enhanced. Important product safety information is printed on labels. In machinery, labels contain information like the electrical rating, warnings, model number, and even basic usage instructions. These need to be viewable for the life of the machinery or severe safety problems could arise.

A product safety situation can arise if this information is not readily available to the operator. This might create liability for the product manufacturer or user. An ink test can ensure that the label is durable and that due diligence has been performed.

Enhances Product Value

Putting a label on a product is a source of pride for a job well done, much like the way an artist will sign his paintings. Part of the value of any product is its resale value. A high resale value is a real selling point.

A quality, durable label is often viewed as a mark of quality when looking at a product, especially several years later. An ink rub test will ensure that the product’s label will last for the product’s life. This value enhancement is carried with the product.