Study on Carrier Material of Universal Ammunition Barcode Labels

[Abstract] With the application of two-dimensional bar code technology in the field of ammunition, the characteristics of ammunition bar code carrier materials and the selection of ammunition bar code label carrier materials suitable for harsh environmental conditions are analyzed.

Keywords: bar code; ammunition; carrier material

Ammunition is the most strategic material consumed in the war, especially in the conditions of modern warfare. The rapid battlefield maneuver requires that the weapon system must be supplied with sufficient ammunition in a timely manner, but the traditional ammunition spray marking, as well as visual identification and manual filling The registration management model is far from being able to adapt to the rapid and accurate protection needs of ammunition. In order to accomplish the dual historical tasks of equipment support informationization and mechanization and realize the leap-forward development of equipment guarantee modernization, it is necessary to actively use bar code automatic identification technology as a means of information collection and tracking. At present, the two-dimensional bar code projects under development include: 1) field emergency protection system for naval ordnance equipment; 2) military personnel protection system; 3) 2D barcode protection system for Air Force aviation material development. Therefore, the application of two-dimensional bar code technology to universal ammunition is imminent, and how to use its carrier material has become an important aspect affecting the convenience, permanence and environmental adaptability of informatization.

1 Application environment of universal ammunition barcode labels

As the information carrier of the ammunition, it will change with the existence and transfer of the ammunition space, so the environment in which the ammunition is located will directly affect the state of the tag; and because the ammunition has the specificity of military materials, the useful life of the tag must exceed Ammunition storage life, so the above conditions determine the performance of the label material.

1.1 Effect of Mechanical Stress on Label Carrier Material

Ammunition goes through the production process, transportation process, storage and storage, distribution and shipment, and battlefield use throughout the entire supply chain from the production department to the use unit. The ammunition transportation and transport must go through loading and unloading, quality inspection, and short-distance transportation. At the storage and storage stage, ammunition must undergo necessary adjustments, maintenance, and dumping. In these processes, the ammunition is subjected to vibrations and shocks due to uneven road surfaces, bumps at the rails, work of engines and blades, waves and air waves, as well as starting, braking and steering of the vehicles themselves. If the load is not strong or there is a rollover or derailment, the ammunition may also be dropped or bumped. These mechanical stresses impose high demands on the carrier material of the ammunition tag and its secure attachment.

1.2 Influence of the Environment on the Label Carrier Material

Ammunition stored in the open air is directly affected by the temperature, humidity and pH of the natural environment. Ammunition stored in the warehouse is not directly affected by the natural environment, but it also changes with changes in the ammunition. When the humidity is high, the expansion and deformation may occur due to moisture absorption; when the humidity is too low, moisture will evaporate and shrink, causing dry cracking; when the temperature is too high, accelerated aging will occur, and when the humidity is too low, it will change. Brittle, reduced strength. Therefore, the difference in temperature and humidity will change the performance of the carrier material, and the sharp changes in temperature and humidity that occur due to the deployment of ammunition will have a greater impact on the carrier material.

1.3 Influence of Biological Environment on Label Carrier Material

The long-term storage of ammunition resources in the warehouse and storage under the conditions of the positions may result in the growth and reproduction of the moldy and micro-organisms on the materials due to the increase of humidity. These microorganisms will decompose the paper products, rubber and even some plastic products. From the absorption of nutrients, it eventually spoiled.

2 Performance requirements of universal ammunition barcode label carrier materials

Barcode carrier materials as the basic information of ammunition logo should have stable physical and chemical properties, corrosion resistance, high resistance, low temperature (-40 ~ 50 °C), wind, rain, snow erosion and sun; high toughness of the material, Good strength, able to withstand a certain force of foreign objects rubbing and hitting it; and has the characteristics of anti-collapse, anti-scratch, not easy to tear; Ammunition storage life is generally more than 15a, so the carrier material should be in the long-term During the storage process, the performance will remain unchanged; at present, the outer packaging of our military ammunition is mainly wood, metal, glass fiber reinforced plastic and plastics. The bar code labels and ammunition packaging should be firmly bonded, do not fall off, do not curl, wrinkle, adhesive The performance should be stable, and the compatibility with the adhesive surface material is good. Under the inventory conditions, there is no significant change in the adhesive force after 15 to 20 years.

3 Common ammunition bar code label carrier material selection

3.1 Types and Characteristics of Label Papers Barcode composite carriers generally include copperplate paper, offset paper, aluminum foil paper, synthetic materials such as PET, PVC, BOPP, and metal composite materials. Their material properties and applicable environments are different. The following analysis of their performance.

1) Coated paper label: Coated paper is a common material for bar code printers, its quality is generally about 82g/m2, the use of temperature range -50 ~ 90 °C, the minimum labeling temperature of 7 °C. The coated surface has excellent ink absorption capacity and is suitable for thermal transfer printing of various high-definition, high-density barcodes. However, the anti-fouling ability of coated paper is normal, and the corrosion resistance to acid and alkali is weak, and it cannot adapt to the storage of ammunition in the harsh battlefield environments and special temporary places.

2) Synthetic Paper: Synthetic paper is a matte white polypropylene film that has been biaxially stretched and co-extruded in three layers. Weight 65g/m2, thickness 80μm. The use of temperature range -50 ~ 90 °C, the minimum labeling temperature of 7 °C, surface material smooth and delicate, suitable for a certain durability and moisture, chemical corrosion. However, the face material is hard and is not suitable for irregular surfaces and a particularly soft tube. As some of the ammunition packages are packaged in glass steel or plastic barrels, synthetic paper is not suitable as a bar code labeling material.

3) Thermal paper: Thermal paper is a paper that is treated with a highly heat-sensitive heat-sensitive coating. The high-sensitivity surface material can be used with a low-voltage print head, and therefore the print head wear is minimal. Thermal paper is suitable for cold storage, freezer and other shelves, but the biggest disadvantage of thermal paper is resistance to rubbing, weak impact, when nails forced across the paper, leaving a black scratch.

4) Offset paper: Offset paper is used for multi-color overprinting. In addition to the requirement of good whiteness and less dust, it has higher requirements on the tightness, tension and bending resistance of paper. Its performance is basically the same as that of coated paper. .
5) PET advanced label paper: A sub-silver polyester film with good hard and brittleness, uniform and special coating on the surface, weight 70g/m2, overall label thickness 150μm, operating temperature range -40 to 150°, minimum labeling temperature - At 4°C, PET media is widely used in cell phone batteries, computer monitors, and air-conditioning compressors due to its excellent resistance to tearing, high temperature resistance, dimensional stability, stain resistance, scratch resistance, light transmission, and chemical resistance. In addition, PET paper has better natural degradability. Therefore, the PET advanced label paper is more suitable for the carrier material of the ammunition bar code label.

6) PVC advanced label paper: PVC and PET performance close, better flexibility than PET, feel soft, often used in jewelry, jewelry and other high-end occasions, but PVC degradation is poor, has a negative impact on the environment Therefore, it is not suitable for a large number of military items.

7) Metal material: The metal material carrier is composed of thin metal strips adhered to the plastic substrate. Generally, the surface of the barcode is covered with a layer of polyester film. The surface of the material has a concave-convex feeling and can be bent to withstand a certain external force and impact. rub. Metal bar code is resistant to high and low temperature, corrosion resistance, no sun and rain, no interference from magnetic fields, long service life, and can be used in harsh environments for a long period of time. The metal bar code can be equipped with a sticker on the back, and the metal bar code can be affixed to the surface of the article. The advantage is that the surface is not afraid of stains.
The general bar code is read by the reflection of light, and this bar code is read by electromagnetic waves with a dedicated metal bar code reader. Only the distance between the reader and the bar code will affect the bar code reading. Its anti-aging ability is strong, the surface of the polyester film is adaptable when used outdoors, the metal bar code can also be made into an invisible code, the surface of the film is opaque protective film, so that the human eye can not distinguish the presence of the bar code, Thus made cover metal stealth bar code.

In accordance with the physical and chemical properties of the above material, the glossiness of the material, the diffuse reflectivity and the optical contrast PCS value of the universal ammunition bar code symbol, the verification of stripe (blank) reflectance, contrast, bar (empty) size error, and the correctness of decoding . PET advanced label paper and metal process made of metal bar codes are more suitable as carrier material for bar code symbols. Comparing these two kinds of materials, it is found that metal materials need to use special readers to read and can be made into invisible codes, which can effectively ensure the safety of ammunition transfer and is therefore more suitable for the use of military items.

3.2 Selection of Metal Materials

At present, metal materials used as bar code carriers in China mainly include stainless steel, aluminum, and copper. Due to the requirements of the bar code on the optical properties of the material, in addition to considering the corrosion resistance of the material, the specular reflection characteristics, contrast, and manufacturing process of the metal must also be considered. The complexity, the softness of the metal bar code and the adhesiveness of the article, the good adhesion and so on. The performance of the three materials is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Comparison of the performance of the three materials
Tab. 1 Contrast of the properties of three materials
Performance Material Stainless Steel Aluminum Copper Bar Code Size Accuracy Good Condition Good Mirror Reflection Through Processing Eliminated By Processing Eliminated By Processing Can Eliminate Most Optical Scanning Characteristics Excellent Good Corrosion Resistance Ability Good Manufacturing Process Complexity Good Good Softness Soft Soft Soft Adhesion is better, better, better, higher cost, generally higher

4 Conclusion <br> Through the comparison of the above metal materials, found that as the main aspects of the information carrier, including specular reflection, optical scanning characteristics, adhesive firmness and cost performance, aluminum performance is significantly superior to the other two materials, can As an important part of the future bar code automatic identification technology, it will be incorporated into the wave of the development of the informatization of the Chinese military. It will provide a huge impetus for the new military revolution and the military transformation with information as the core technology.

Author: Lu Ruiqing, Gao Xin Bao, Fan Xiutao Source: Packaging Engineering