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60+ Years of Experience

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Satisfaction Guarantee

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Short Lead Times

Month: June 2016

Six Benefits of Quality Control at Hallmark Nameplate

When it comes to building a successful business that delivers products that meet and exceed customers’ expectations, it all comes down to quality control. It also forms the basis of an efficient business that minimizes waste and operates at high levels of productivity. A quality control system based on a recognized standard, such as ISO 9001 published by the International Organization for Standardization, provides a strong foundation for achieving a wide range of marketing and operational benefits.

Hallmark Nameplate has been in the industry for many years, and because of that, we have seen competitors come and go. In all these years, we’ve learned that quality, service, and reliability. Total quality management is implemented at every turn of our manufacturing facility, and we make sure to inspect every item before it is shipped to you. You can see (and touch) the difference in our products.

Because we value the quality control methods we implement every day, we want to make sure that our clients understand why it’s important and how it has shaped the way we lead this industry. Here’s what is greatly affected by the best possible quality control:

  1. We’re at the top of the competition.

The ability to offer customers the highest quality products provides a strong competitive advantage. Quality gives us an advantage to win business from competitors who are unable to match our standards.

  1. Our customers are loyal to our products and services.

You all enjoy our products and have done so for many years. Providing you all with quality products helps increase the satisfaction and loyalty our clients deserve. Satisfied customers have confidence that our products will continue to provide reliable performance in the future, and that increases the chances that our customers will return to us with their next project, which we’re thrilled to plan, create, and deliver with timeless quality. Not only that, but the most satisfied of customers will recommend our nameplates, graphic overlays, and other products to other customers looking for assistance with their projects, either directly or providing testimonials that we’re proud to use to reach out to others.

  1. Our reputation speaks for itself.

At Hallmark Nameplate, we truly care about the great reputation we’ve built from the bottom up. Quality makes an important contribution to that reputation. Customers are constantly sharing their views on products and services, as well as experiences, and we are constantly using that feedback to continue striving toward excellence in everything we do. Companies that have quality problems will notice a damaging effect on reputation if the word spreads, and we are happy to say that Hallmark Nameplate does not have this problem; the quality control procedures we have in place ensure that we create great products and happy clients.

  1. Our compliance means the highest quality for our customers.

Compliance with recognized quality standards may be essential for doing business with certain groups of customers. Hallmark Nameplate is, for example, an approved supplier with Underwriters Laboratory, which is a group that tests products for public safety. We are also an approved supplier with the Canadian Standards Association, and with the International Traffic In Arms Regulations, which allows us opportunities beyond the constraints of the industry. These additional compliances are a reflection of our fine work, widen our client base, and allow our current clients to understand the values we strive to achieve with every product we deliver.

  1. The ISO 9001 benefits are endless.

Hallmark Nameplate is proud to be an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, which ensures that our identification nameplates, membrane switches, graphic overlays, control panels, value-added assemblies, and box builds are effectively developed by a quality management system to ensure consistency. Our products meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and we aim to use this to enhance customer satisfaction.  As a customer working with an ISO 9001 certified company, you can enjoy the benefits of efficiency, savings, international recognition, a strong relationship with the manufacturer, documentation, consistency, satisfaction, and constant improvement.

  1. Costs are more than manageable.

Excellent quality control helps to reduce production and product support costs. Implementing such a strong quality control system as ours helps to lower levels of waste and rework, cuts costs, and improves productivity and production efficiency. Delivering quality products also reduces the number of returns we have to handle, and reduces the cost, time, and energy spent repairing or servicing products in the field. With our products, it’s just not a concern!

When working with other companies that do not value quality control as much as us at Hallmark Nameplate, your product manufacturing process has likely been littered with many vendors. We know how complex your ideas are, and are ready to bring them to market. Our endless commitment to quality, service, and reliability will make your first steps toward your new product a breeze. Contact us today!

The Dangers of Electrostatic Discharge & How to Prevent It

The electrostatic discharge safe environment at Hallmark Nameplate is designed to prevent electrical discharges from the body or from devices, both of which could impact the delicate electronic components we value so highly. Our ESD-Safe production environment ensures that components of your product remain safe through the assembly process and through packing for shipment to you.

It is true that electrostatic discharge has existed since the beginning of time. However, this natural phenomenon has grown into more and more of an issue with the widespread use of solid-state electronics.

Where does Electrostatic Discharge come from?

All materials, insulators and conductors alike, are sources of electrostatic discharge. They are lumped together in what is known as the “triboelectric series,” which defines the materials associated with positive or negative charges. Positive charges accumulate predominantly on human skin and animal fur, while negative charges are more common to synthetic materials, such as Styrofoam or plastic. The amount of electrostatic charge that can accumulate on any item is dependent on its capacity to store a charge.

How does Electrostatic Discharge damage electronic circuitry?

ESD is like a tiny version of lightning. As the current dissipates through an object, it’s seeking a low impedance path to the ground to equalize potentials. In most cases, ESD currents will travel to the ground via the metal chassis of a device. However, it’s well known that current will travel on every available path within reach. In some cases, one path may be between the PN junctions on integrated circuits to reach the ground. This current flow will burn holes visible to the naked eye in an integrated circuit, with evidence of heat damage to the surrounding area. One ESD event will not disrupt equipment operation, however, repeated events will degrade equipment’s internal components over time.

How does Electrostatic Discharge occur?

ESD can occur in a variety of forms. One of the most common is through human contact with sensitive devices. Human touch is only sensitive on ESD levels that exceed 4,000V.

A recent investigation found that the human body and its clothing capable of storing between 500V and 2500V electrostatic during the normal workday. This is far above the level that damages circuits yet below the human perception threshold. Other sources of ESD damage to equipment include:

  • Troubleshooting electronic equipment or handling of printed circuit boards without using an electrostatic wrist electrostatic discharge straps;
  • Placement of synthetic materials (plastic, Styrofoam, etc.) on or near electronic equipment; and
  • Rapid movement of air near electronic equipment (including using compressed air to blow dirt off printed circuit boards, circulating fans blowing on electronic equipment, or using an electronic device close to an air handling system).

In all of these scenarios, the accumulation of static charges may occur, but you may never know. Furthermore, a charged object does not necessarily have to contact the item for an ESD event to occur.

How is electrostatic voltage measured?

One of the most effective ways to identify potential ESD problem areas is to make measurements using an electrostatic voltmeter. This meter will effectively measure electrostatic voltage up to 30,000V on all conductors and insulators. It also will display whether the charge is negative or positive. This may help you determine the source of the electrostatic accumulation.

How is Electrostatic Discharge prevented?

Experience has shown that the following guidelines are helpful:

  • Keep all synthetic materials at least four inches away from electronic equipment.
  • When cleaning printed circuit boards, use a spray labeled as non-static forming.
  • When troubleshooting electronic equipment, always wear a static wrist wrap that is grounded to the frame of the device. Also, wear the wrist electrostatic discharge straps when handling printed circuit boards.
  • Treat carpets and floors with compounds that reduce the buildup of static charges.
  • Use static floor mats where necessary.
  • Make sure the grounding system for equipment has a low impedance for ESD currents to dissipate to an earthing reference.

Hallmark Nameplate does what it must do to maintain a safe environment for not just our employees, but also for the products we create and send to our clients. When you choose a company for your electronic assemblies, your first concerns should be quality, safety, and reliability. Hallmark Nameplate is passionate about all of these things, and design products with longevity and safety in mind.

If you’re ready to start your next product with a leading industry group of experts, contact us at Hallmark Nameplate for more information about our electronic assemblies.

All About Abrasion Resistance

Nameplates, graphic overlays, and membrane switches that come from Hallmark Nameplate all have one thing in common: they are high quality products that will stand up to the wear and tear of the operation they were designed for. When you create striking products for a number of manufacturers of medical, military, and aircraft equipment, you know the quality of the products you produce must be ready to take any task for a reliable amount of time.  Abrasion resistance is just one of the ways we can ensure that our customers are receiving the highest quality nameplates, graphic overlays, and membrane switches available.

Abrasion

To understand abrasion resistance, you must first understand what it is to begin with. Abrasion is the process of rubbing down, scuffing, wearing down, or scratching the surface off of any given material. It is a process we, as a nameplate manufacturer are all too aware of. Environmental factors, such as UV rays and inclement weather, other equipment, and safety gear, like latex, rubber or other rough textile gloves all play a part in abrasion. Products that are constantly touched, pushed, and prodded and are used in a variety of settings and environments are highly susceptible to abrasion. Using materials that are abrasion resistant ensures that our products will remain clear for years of use, keeping intact the integrity of our products and the products our customers apply them to. 

Why Abrasion Resistance Matters

Companies who work in high-stress areas, like healthcare, aircraft and military sectors, heavily rely on the equipment they use. Over time the buttons, instructions, or icons on their machines or controls are worn down due to their daily usage. Abrasion causes the buttons, icons, and instructions that were printed on the nameplate, graphic overlay, or membrane switch to become difficult to see, which can make their already high-stress environment even more stressful. Instead of expecting this wear-and-tear on their equipment and frequently replacing marred nameplates, graphic overlays, or membrane switches, smart businesses look for products that will resist abrasion and remain legible, in excellent working order for years to come.

How Abrasion is Tested

Because abrasion resistance is so important to both the manufacturer and the customer, there are many standard tests that measure resistance on nearly every material available. Tests are designed according to material and its application, and involve a controlled form of abrasion. Examples of this would be a rubber wheel that is rolled over the sample for a specific period of time, or a scrub test where sandpaper, or different sort of abrasive material is placed on a hydraulic arm and repeatedly moved over the sample surface. Setting a control abrasion and time period manufacturers are able to discern two important things about the materials they choose to work with: abrasion rate, and the normalized abrasion index.

Abrasion rate is how much mass is lost from the sample after 1000 cycles of abrasion, and the index is a ratio of the abrasion rate compared to the standardized, known abrasion rate of like materials. This way when we are testing a specific material for abrasion resistance, we can quantify how it stacks up to similar materials. With this knowledge we are able to choose the most abrasion-resistant materials for your nameplate, graphic overlay, or membrane switch.

Methods of Abrasion Resistance

Knowing that abrasion resistance is a standard measurement, when creating a graphic overlay for our clients becomes a choice of what material will best fit their needs. For medical equipment and instruments, selecting materials that stand up to constant pressure of latex gloves and abrasive cleaning solutions is extremely important. For military applications, UV protection and resistance to abrasives, like sand, salt, and moisture, is essential for creating instruments that not only work, but are clear and easy to see for a long time. One final method we use to ensure abrasion resistance is to use a screen printing technique where the logo, controls, icons and instructions are printed on the side of the nameplate or graphic overlay that will be closest to the instrument it is applied to. Layers of abrasion resistant material are then printed on top of the information, sealing it in and protecting it from the elements for even longer.

Knowing the limits of the substrate you choose for your nameplate, graphic overlay, or membrane switch is very important. Choosing a nameplate manufacturer who understands the importance of abrasion resistance for your equipment is easy when you choose to work with Hallmark Nameplate.