FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS
BADGE QUESTIONS
DIRECT PRINT
SYSTEM QUESTIONS
OVERLAY SYSTEM QUESTIONS
INKJET SYSTEM QUESTIONS
LAPEL PIN QUESTIONS
AWARD QUESTIONS
SIGNAGE QUESTIONS
ARTWORK QUESTIONS
CAWLEY BADGE PRINTER SOFTWARE QUESTIONS
GENERAL QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS
How many years
have you been in business?
We have been in business since 1946.
What do we need to send for artwork?
See "Artwork Requirements"
(pdf document 54k).
What is your
warranty on machines and badges?
Lifetime on P-touch machines, as long as our badges are being
purchased from Cawley. One year on carriers or badges.
Do you have technical support for the machines and software?
Yes, support is available during our regular business hours.
What is the lead-time on my order / when can my order ship?
Your order will ship within 6-10 business days for existing logo
product. If a die is ordered for a new logo, your order will ship
within 18 business days from confirmation of order.
Can my order go
today?
We will do everything we can to expedite your order.
What are your payment terms?
We have open accounts with 1% - 10 net 30, cash in advance, COD and we
accept Visa, MasterCard, or American Express credit cards.
Do you
charge for shipping?
Yes. We ship using UPS regular ground unless you request a different
method.
Do you charge
sales tax?
We collect sales tax from our Wisconsin customers, unless a re-sale
certificate is on file.
Can I order by
e-mail?
Yes, you can order by e-mail, sending either directly to your rep or
their assistant’s e-mail address, or to
info@thecawleyco.com
Why should
I choose Cawley?
The Cawley Company specializes in the identification and recognition
business. We supply only quality products, fairly priced, in a timely
manner, with professional and courteous service. We have been in
business for over 50 years.
BADGE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How do I choose the name badge or system that is right for me?
Our sales executives and customer service staff will work with you to
choose which of our systems best meets your individual requirements.
How do I
assemble the badge?
Why does the metal badge carrier look cloudy or have a black stripe on
it?
This is the protective coating " visa guard" that covers each carrier
to prevent against scratches and marks while the badge is in transit to you.
It is easily removed when you are ready to use the badge.
What is the
minimum order?
There is a minimum of 25 pieces on orders with 2 colors or less. We
have a minimum order of 150 when ordering 3 or more color logos.
Plastic badges have a 250 minimum. Orders may be placed below our
minimums with a setup fee.
Can
we mix backings and still get the quantity discount?
Backings can be combined to meet price breaks with your first order.
I don’t understand your terminology - what is the code for my badge?
Each badge has a different code determined by shape, size, color and
whether the badge has a pin back, magnetic back, etc. The carrier is
the actual pin or magnet, etc. backing that the text plate is attached
to. The text plate is the adhesive plate with or without your logo
imprinted upon it.
Do your logo’s
wear off?
We laminate or clear coat the surface to make it durable, it is
virtually indestructible.
What
badge styles are available?
The four most popular sizes we offer are the 391’s (a smaller
rectangle), 390’s (a larger rectangle), 323’s (a smaller oval), and
321’s (a larger oval). We will work with you to determine the best
size badge and carrier style.
What
is your warranty on badges?
One year on carriers and badges.
Can we have custom
shapes on metal badges?
We can produce custom shapes. Special tooling may be required.
How much
does a badge cost?
We offer a variety of products to meet your budget.
What
badge colors are available?
Metal badges: gold, silver, white, copper, red, green, blue, purple,
and black.
Plastic badges: white and silver (other options are available with
minimum quantity requirements)
What
logo colors do I have to choose from?
We have a large variety of foil colors available, and will try to
match your logo color as closely as possible.
What
backings are available?
We have pin, clip, military clutch, tuck, magnetic, chain and bolo.
What different woods are available?
Maple, oak, cherry, and walnut.
Can you engrave
on metal?
Yes.
Will my
order come assembled?
Factory personalized badges come assembled. On-site personalized
badges are easier to personalize when not assembled.
Do you have plastic badges?
Yes, in the same basic sizes and shapes as the metal badges.
Are the badges
re-usable?
On-site personalized badges can be re-usable - this is accomplished in
different ways depending on which system you use.
Are the
badges recyclable?
The steel and aluminum badges are recyclable. The plastic badges are
not.
Can I
use the badges outside and how do they hold up?
Yes. Our new protected surface or badge can withstand sun, cold, and
moisture. The carrier is anodized aluminum.
You already have my artwork for our logo. Why will it take longer to
get the badges simply because I’ve made a small change to my logo?
Any change to the logo will most likely require a new die to be made,
so it would be almost like starting fresh. We will need to produce a
new art spec for your approval before ordering the new die. Once we
have the new die, we will be able to process your order without
further delay.
What
if I do not like the badge when I receive my order?
Contact your representative for replacement of your product. This will
typically occur at no charge to you.
Can
I see what my badge will look like before I purchase?
You will receive a badge layout for approval. We can also produce a
production sample, for a small fee.
Who do you currently
have as customers?
We are proud to serve a wide assortment of customers including the
largest hotel franchises, cruise ship companies, resorts, casinos,
universities, military bases, restaurants and small businesses that
are looking for a high quality and good looking badge to help promote
their image. Every one of our customers is special and we would be
happy to show you samples of our work.
How
is the logo put on the badge?
Most of our logo’s are applied using our thermal engraving process. We
also use silk screening, rotary engraving, thermal transfers, digital
transfer, and ink jet processes.
How many colors can I have in my logo?
This depends on the style of badge. We can accommodate any number of
colors, including 4-color process.
I am allergic to the nickel in your magnets. Do you have anything
else?
We also offer a plastic coated magnet that may work better for you.
Can I
order magnets separately?
Yes, magnets are sold separately and priced by quantity.
DIRECT
PRINT SYSTEM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How do I
assemble the Direct Print System badge?
Click Image to Enlarge
What requirements
do I need on my computer?
The printer requires a parallel or USB cable connection and Windows
2000, ME, NT or 98.
Will it
work off my database?
Yes. Data can be imported from an ASCII comma-delimited file.
Does
the machine put the logo on?
Badges come with the logo pre-printed. The machine will personalize
the badge.
Can I re-use the
badge?
You can re-use the badge carrier, by replacing the nameplate.
How often does
the printer need to be cleaned?
- Non-AIT model printers - a light cleaning using a cleaning card needs
to be done at 50 badges. A more thorough cleaning should be done at
least every
200 badges, or more frequently in dirty environments.
- AIT model printers - the light cleaning and thorough cleaning steps
should be performed at the same time. This cleaning should be done
every 250 badges, or more frequently in dirty environments.
How do I
do a light cleaning?
Generally, light cleanings are done when the computer indicates that
it is necessary. The printer driver keeps track of the number of
badges printed since it was last cleaned and displays a notice to
clean when it reaches the cleaning interval.
Special cleaning cards are used for the light cleaning. First, remove
the card hopper from the front of the printer and set aside. Expose
the gummy surface of the cleaning card by removing the protective
paper. Insert the cleaning card on top of the rollers where the hopper
sits with the gummy end towards printer. Click on the Clean button on
the notice window and the cleaning card should be drawn into the
printer and ejected out the bottom when finished. Replace the card
hopper and continue printing.
How do
I do a thorough cleaning?
Remove the card hopper, open the top cover, and remove the ribbon
carriage. Clean the rubber rollers in the card print path using
isopropyl alcohol. Allow a few seconds for the rollers to dry and
replace the ribbon carriage and card hopper.
AIT model printers also have a cleaning roller that needs to be
replaced during the thorough cleaning process. To replace this roller,
lift it out of the roller slots and replace it with a fresh cleaning
roller.
When is a thorough cleaning necessary?
Whenever you experience problems with cards feeding in or out of the
printer that cannot be corrected with the light cleaning method.
Why do I need to do a thorough cleaning if I perform the light
cleanings as required?
The light cleanings are able to remove loose ribbon fragments, lint,
and dust that may find their way into the printer and affect the print
quality. The gummy surface of the cleaning card is not able to remove
surface oils that can absorbed by the rollers that come from handling
the badge cards or other sources. This, along with dirt that enters
the pores of the rubber rollers, can build up to the point that the
rollers are not able to move a card through the printer correctly.
This simple, more thorough, cleaning will rejuvenate the roller
surfaces and restore the printer to its original performance.
How often
will I need to do a thorough cleaning?
This will vary based on the cleanliness of the printer environment and
the degree to which surface oils may be introduced due to handling of
the badge cards, etc. As a general rule, The Cawley Company recommends
that you do a thorough cleaning as preventative maintenance at least
every 200 cards (250 for AIT models). This frequency may need to be
adjusted to fit your unique conditions.
What if print quality is bad and light cleaning is not correcting it?
Your printer was factory adjusted to deliver the best print quality
for the badge material that you selected to use with it. There is some
degree of freedom to adjust the intensity of the printing and this can
be tweaked slightly. These adjustments should only be made by a
technical support person on your staff and under the guidance of The
Cawley Company.
The print quality can be affected by sources other than the printer
intensity as well. The card itself may be either deformed or have
surface impurities. These are generally the result of improper
handling or storage of the cards. You should avoid touching the print
face of the card before it is printed as much as possible.
Defective print heads can also cause poor printing. These print heads
were designed to last for a large number of card printings, but over
time they can wear out or fail. If you suspect you have a defective
print head, please contact us so that we can work with you to correct
this.
Why are there pieces of the printer ribbon stuck to the card after
printing?
This is normal and should not cause any problems with your printing.
The fragment of ribbon is easily pulled off the badge, if it appears.
This happens on occasion with the print intensity settings that we
have found to work best. Lower settings that may eliminate the ribbon
fragments do not do as good of a job at filling in characters
consistently.
What if the print comes off the badge when worn in areas of solvents
or other cleaning solutions?
Harsh chemical environments and exposure to solvents may allow the
printed finish to be rubbed off. We found this to occur as well if
perfume was sprayed directly onto the face of the badge and then
rubbed. In order to seal the face of the personalized badge from
exposure to damaging chemicals, we offer a self-adhesive dome that can
be applied to the face of the badge that will protect it from
abrasion, as well as chemicals.
The badge stands up well and maintains its attractive appearance
under most normal conditions. However, for those people that may be
exposing their badges to harsher environments, we do offer the domes
as a protective covering without detracting from the appearance of the
badge. In fact, some customers have found the domes provide an
additional depth to the badge appearance and have ordered them without
needing them as an environmental protector.
What
if a card becomes stuck within the printer?
If the printer detected that the card is stuck in the feed path, try
selecting Retry once to see if the rollers will grab the card on the
second attempt. If that doesn’t work, or the printer did not detect
that a card is stuck, continue with the following steps. Also, if the
printer did not give you a stuck card message but you did not see a
card fall into the discharge chute, check to make sure that it isn’t
hanging at the top of the discharge chute.
If it appears that the card is stuck within the printer, carefully
remove the card from the internal feed path by opening the top cover,
removing the ribbon carriage, and gently working the card out from
where it is stuck. The card should be thrown away. Perform the
thorough cleaning steps and restore the printer to its printing
configuration.
The
ribbon broke. Now what do I do?
You can usually tape the broken ends together and advance the ribbon a
couple of turns before reinserting the ribbon carriage to get back to
a working condition. If the take-up reel has a lot of used ribbon
built up on it, it may be best to remove the used portion of the
ribbon from the take-up reel and tape the end of the good ribbon onto
the take-up reel.
OVERLAY SYSTEM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How do I assemble the
Overlay System badge?
Click Image to Enlarge.
For more details, see "Name Badge Personalization Guide."
(pdf 63k)
Which P-touch
is best for our company and what requirements do I need on my computer?
It all depends on the amount and style badge that you are going to
use. If you are going to be doing a lot of badges, you may want to go
with a P-touch unit that is computer driven. A computer driven printer
enables you to print your names directly from a database, rather than
entering each name separately. For that you will need a serial
communication cable connection and Windows 95, 98, NT, or 2000. Also,
the P-1-18 unit will only personalize one line while all of the others
are able to do multiple line personalizing.
How do I adjust it to print less tape
Your printer should print a strip of tape about 4" in length. This allows you enough space to handle
part of the tape without touching the area that you will be using.
If you touch the adhesive side of the overlay in the area that you are
using for the name, the fingerprints may be visible after the final
assembly. The length also makes it easier to visually line up the
overlay and apply it. The excess is then trimmed off. The little bit
of tape that is lost in this assembly process is necessary in order to
achieve the highest quality badge.
I am getting a message that reads,
"Appropriate cassette not installed." What does this mean?
This means that the tape cassette in your printer and the tape size
that you have selected in the program are not the same. Please make
sure that the two match and then click the job resume button.
What does it mean when lines appear on the printout?
This means that the print head and/or rollers are dirty. Clean the
print head and rollers by using a dry cotton swab to gently wipe up
and down. Be careful not to touch the print head with anything except
the cotton swab. If this doesn’t correct the problem, repeat using a
cotton swap dipped in rubbing alcohol.
I am getting a message that reads "Communication error between PC
and P-touch." What does this mean?
Check to make sure that the P-touch printer is turned on. Check to
make sure that the correct port was selected when you installed the
program. Make sure that all connectors are tightly installed.
I have misplaced my Brother software. Where can I get a
replacement?
The software is available to download at
www.brother.com.
I have lost my Brother manual. Where can I get another one?
Some manuals are available for download at
www.brother.com. You may
also purchase manuals at
www.brothermall.com.
Some of the printed characters are missing.
Clean the print head. Check that there is no slack or wrinkles in the
cartridge.
I have the layout for my badges. How do I save it?
On the Brother P-touch PC you would go to File and Save.
On the other models, you use "code" and "store". This will save the
layout for you. When you want to use the layout again, press "code"
and "recall" to bring up the layout.
When using the Brother software, I get a message that reads
"Text
too high". What does that mean?
This message appears if the size of the text is larger than the width
of the installed tape. You can remedy this by reducing the size of the
characters.
When using the Brother software, I get a message that reads
"Text
too long". What does that mean?
This message appears if the length of the text is longer than the
label length that has been set using the length function. You can
remedy this by decreasing the character width or increasing the set
label length.
I get a message that reads
"Cutter error". What does this mean?
This message appears if the tape cutter lever is pressed down while a
label is being printed. To remedy this, release the tape cutter lever.
Can I import employee files to my P-4 or P-4A to get names for
badges without retyping everything?
Yes, there is a way to do that. Please consult us for
assistance by calling (800) 822-9539 or (920) 682-7754.
Can we re-use the badge?
Yes. Simply remove the name, clean text area, and replace with new
name.
What is the best way to take the personalization off of the badge?
Peel the name off and clean it with a glue remover.
Which badge will I need to order to put two lines on?
Any badge with a ¾" or larger name (textured) area in height.
Can we purchase text plates, carriers, and magnets
separately?
Yes, with the same quantity price breaks.
What’s the difference between strip and frame?
A strip has lines that run off of the edge of the text plate. A frame
has a box around the name, like a picture frame.
INKJET SYSTEM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How do I assemble the Inkjet badge?
Click Image to Enlarge.
Can we use the P-touch label machine on the inkjet badge?
Yes but this material is not able to hide the tape appearance like our
textured overlay products.
LAPEL PIN QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Can we mix the years of service to equal the 250-price break?
We offer standard years of service pins that have one price. When
ordering custom lapel pins we can pad print the number of years. When
pad printing an order you can mix the years of service to reach a
quantity break.
AWARD QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How long does it take to receive a plate for the plaque when we
personalize?
Your order will ship in 1 to 5 working days.
SIGNAGE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Do they work outdoors?
Yes. We laminate the surface of some materials or use material
specifically made for outdoor applications. When we know the product
is for outdoor use we will do everything to insure that it will stand
up to the elements.
Are all signs custom or are they standard?
We offer both custom and standard signs.
ARTWORK QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What are your artwork requirements?
In keeping with our commitment to deliver the quality products you
expect from The Cawley Company, it is important to begin with
excellent artwork. The detail of your logo reproduction on any of our
products is proportional to the quality of artwork supplied. We can
also detail your artwork so that it will print appropriately, as long
as it is received in a workable format. There are times when charges
for artwork detailing will be requested. We are happy to work with you
in any way possible to deliver you a quality product.
Can you use my logo from my web site?
No. The quality is not of reproduction graphic quality.
Can I send you a printed version of my artwork?
Yes, we can work from a good black and white copy or a spot color
version of your logo. Half tones or shading of any kind do not work
with our hot-stamping process. Please be aware that photocopies and
faxes do not provide the quality necessary to produce a quality
product. If your logo has more than one color, each color needs to be
printed separately in black. An art fee will be requested if changes
are needed to make your art usable.
How can I get the artwork to you?
Electronic files can be sent via e-mail to either your account
executive or to info@thecawleyco.com. You may need to compress the
file using a compression program such as PKZIP or WINZIP in order for
it to be sent efficiently and meet our maximum e-mail message size
limit of 5MB.
Electronic files and printed versions of artwork can also be sent via
a postage or parcel service. In this case the electronic files can be
stored on a 3.5" diskette, ZIP disk, or CD. We use PC based computers
but have the capability to read Macintosh formatted media. If you have
questions please contact our art department.
What electronic file formats work best?
We would like to see the art sent as spot color or black and white
line art in one of the following file formats: Corel Draw (CDR),
Encapsulated Post Script (EPS), Adobe Illustrator (AI) PC format, or
Windows Metafile (WMF). These usually provide the means for us to
separate the colors necessary for our hot-stamp process as well as
resize without distortion.
Why do you need to separate the colors?
Our hot-stamp process needs to apply each color found in your artwork
one step at a time. For example, if your logo were green and gold, we
would apply the green portion and then apply the gold portion
separately. We take great care to align the pieces so that it fits
together perfectly in the final print. As a matter of fact, we are
often complimented on the precision of our work!
How do you match the colors on our logo?
Provide us with the PMS number(s) of your logo and we will match your
colors as closely as possible. Your artist or commercial printer can
be helpful in supplying you with this information and artwork. If you
aren’t able to give us the PMS numbers, we can match them by comparing
a printed color sample of your logo with a PMS color index.
What is a PMS color number?
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is the standard used for identifying
spot colors precisely. It is indexed with each variation of a color
having a unique number so that it is possible for printers to match a
color exactly by using the same PMS color number.
CAWLEY BADGE PRINTER SOFTWARE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What are the computer system requirements?
Windows 95 or greater and 10MB of disk space. |
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