Overpressure protection labels for the pressure balance of internal overpressure

These functional labels will be used in most different branches. These include mechanical engineering, electric tools engineering like e.g. for tools and compressors. Furthermore, in automotive, medical products and chemical industry. The labels seal the openings safely and detach at the defined internal pressure.

The initial situation

A long-term customer of robos-labels from the technical-industrial environment develops and produces upscale measuring instruments. Here different housings made of different materials will be used, where the control units are covered by a glass panel. Through these panels different indicators can be monitored.

The challenge

The instruments will be applied world-wide and must be sealed hermetically for the measuring technology to work reliably inside. By the use of these products in different climatic zones it cannot be excluded that the devices are exposed to major fluctuations in the ambient temperature. Thus is it possible that in worst case a high internal pressure will be built, which can finally lead to the breaking of the thin glass and a user injury. To avoid this danger safely, every housing has a small opening, which can release the excess air in case of emergency. For that purpose a functional part in form of a label was required, which must detach within the exactly defined pressure scope from the opening.

A performative product with outstanding adhering features at very high and very low ambient temperatures, reliable under high humidity and with safe adherence to the different surfaces of parts was needed. The specification was added that the functional label must be very small with the overall area of approximately 1 square centimeter (approx. 0.1550 sq. in.), which was an additional challenge for the material and the production method.

In addition, the product had to feature a relatively distinct stiffness to be able not to co-expand under high inner pressure, but to detach within the defined limit.  As long as this protective mechanism has not been activated, the label must seal the housing 100% (IP67). This is why the functional label has to pass a 30-minutes long submerging test and must not let any humidity intrude the housing.  

The perfect labeling solution for this application

Due to the long experience of robos-labels in the area of technical labeling it became quickly apparent that the existing material combinations will reach their limits. 

Hence the team concentrated on the combining of two materials to achieve sufficient stiff combination on the one hand and the necessary height on the other hand. The combination of two polyester materials has been subsequently equipped with a special adhesive, which still guarantees a high adhesive power under the abovementioned conditions in a very limited space and detaches within the defined pressure scope. For that purpose the application of the adhesive has been proceeded partially to feel the way to the defined detaching scope.  

The implementation

For several months robos-labels worked in coordination with diverse departments of the customer like e.g. strategic purchase, development department, and the quality department as well as production management.

All in one, during the ongoing project several D-samples were developed, pro- and introduced, which all have been tested in the customer’s laboratories until the suitable solution, which covers all requirements, has crystallized. 

The customer benefited from the ability of robos-labels to sample and present all the approaches directly. In the next step he can automate the application of the functional part, which had to be applied manually at the alternative solution. By that not only the precision of the application could be increased, but also the processing costs reduced. 

Simon Reuter, managing partner at robos-labels:

“The complex requirements by the manufacturer of measuring instruments to a premium functional label encouraged our team. We could prove once more that robos-labels finds a tailored solution to every technical application.”

Customer service

Tel.: +49 (0) 7154 / 8225–90
Fax: +49 (0) 7154 / 8225–22

Customer service

Robos GmbH & Co.KG
Im Moldengraben 47
70806 Kornwestheim
Germany