Numbering plastic objects

Brenda Keneghan <b.keneghan [at] vam__ac__uk> writes

>We are trying to establish the current practice in numbering plastic
>objects. We would like to hear from DistList readers to hear what
>media they use.

We do have a huge collection of industrial design. Quite a lot of
these objects are made out of different kind of plastics. To number
these objects we have quite good results in using acid-free paper
labels with a thin BEVA lamination. By means of a heating spatula at
approximately 167 deg. F the label can be fixed at the object. For
the inventory number we use pigmented ink. Please consider: This
method needs a short input of increased temperature which means
extra energy for chemical degradation processes. Therefore it is not
advisable to label sensitive plastics like for example PVC with a
high share of softeners, PMMA which already shows crazes, thin
thermoplastics or heavily degraded plastics.

Sometimes the BEVA label doesn't stick to polypropylene surfaces. We
assume that these surfaces were retreated in the production process
with non-adhesive protective coatings. The "labelling-method" is
also not suitable for elastic plastics like rubbers or silicones. In
that case a soft pencil (3B) is the tool of first choice.

Tim Bechthold
Head of Conservation Department
Die Neue Sammlung
Staatliches Museum fur angewandte Kunst
Design in der Pinakothek der Moderne
Direktion: Turkenstr. 15 - D
8033 Munchen
+49 89 27 27 25 0
Fax: +49 89 27 27 25 561


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:51
                 Distributed: Saturday, March 29, 2008
                       Message Id: cdl-21-51-003
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