Core Size & Outside Diameter
Labels can be purchased as individual sheets or rolls. As a B2B company, our business is primarily in roll labels. They are printed and wrapped around a cardboard core, usually between 1” and 6,” depending on customer specifications, and to a specified outside roll diameter (O.D.) usually between 4” and 14." The core size and O.D. you choose directly affects the use of the labels.
At Biotef, we recommend 3” cores and 14” O.D.s as being the best specifications for your label application machines. 3” cores allow both regular PS and extended content labels to be used easily while a 14” O.D. allows for 40% more labels per roll than a 12” O.D., which minimizes roll change downtime on a line.
Each label application machine has specific parameters for the types of label rolls it accepts, and you do not want to choose a label roll specification that has too small a core size for your machine or too large an O.D. or else you will not be able to use that roll on your equipment.
How To Determine The Core Size Of Your Label Roll
Look at your machine and check the label roll platter. It will have a core plug, which looks like a spindle that the label roll core goes over.
Whatever the diameter of that core plug is the ideal core size for your label rolls. You will never want to have a core size smaller than your core plug as it will not fit over it and therefore cannot be used.
If you receive a larger core size than your core plug there are adapters that your label company should provide that can expand your smaller core size to a larger size to be able to use the roll.
Measuring A Label Roll's Outside Diameter
To determine the O.D. of your application equipment, look at the platter the labels sit on when put on the core plug. The diameter of that platter is the ideal O.D. of your label roll.
You can go with a smaller O.D. and still use your application equipment, but that will mean more label roll changes resulting in lower line output. If you receive a label roll with an O.D. larger than your platter, the label roll will not be supported and the roll will telescope down and bind up as the web path is mis-aligned.
Knowing Label Roll Core Size & Outside Diameter
By taking this information into consideration when choosing your label roll you can avoid the issues associated with mis-sized rolls for your application equipment.
Biotef will not accept an order without the customer specifying all aspects of the label roll to ensure you get exactly what you want. If you have followed and measured appropriately then your label roll will fit within your selected machine.
