Sample Lab Day specifications

What is Sample Lab Day and who is it for?

Sample Lab Day is our on-site bottle decoration trial, set up so your team can see, touch, and test finishes before placing a production order. We bring our precision-made UV systems and run your bottles, under your conditions and with your operators nearby. This suits Gauteng print rooms, Durban copackers, Cape Town distillers, and any team that needs to see how ink, fixture, and finish hold up on a real site. It is best for owners and managers who prefer practical results over meetings and long PDF spec sheets.

This is not for teams expecting fancy demos or a marketing pitch. If your bottles are an odd shape, or if you need to check durability before a big retail order, Sample Lab Day is a fit. If you want a generic catalogue sample or have no intention of shifting your process, then please start with Use Cases or Finishes instead.

How Sample Lab Day works in practice

We schedule Sample Lab Day for your floor, usually after you send your city, process constraint, and timing through our contact form. If you are in an industrial park near Bloemfontein or a coastal plant facing humidity, we plan for your environment. Our operator arrives with the right fixture and ink test pack. You prep a run of 30 to 80 sample bottles, with the labels and closures you plan to use.

Power should be 230 V single- or three-phase, depending on the system. Please warn us in advance if you expect load-shedding or generator changeovers. We check foot space near your line (usually 2.5 x 1.2 metres clear, plus access for boxes). Most prints are ready for handling in minutes, but we test durability after an hour and again after repacking. We record what failed or worked differently, so your next quote is grounded in your facts, not guesswork.

A short example: Highveld contract fill line

A contract filler in Germiston wants to run a craft gin sample for a new distribution deal. Their line bottlenecks at print speed, and their bottles pick up Highveld dust before capping. We set up Sample Lab Day on a Friday afternoon. The operator emails us two site photos and a note about three-phase power. We bring the right UV system, run two types of bottle, and let their crew judge scuff resistance after simulated transit. One finish does not set cleanly near the neck, so we record that and recommend a different fixture for the production run.

Their manager leaves with handled samples and a clear note on what to change before the next retailer order. No need to chase for a reprint or guess about what failed.

What to prepare before you email the team

To get the most out of Sample Lab Day, prep a list of your practical constraints first. What do your operators struggle with? What does your customer call out in return stock? Every detail helps us avoid a second visit or rush correction. Photos of your floor or bottling line (even mobile phone photos) save time, especially if your setup is tight or you have non-standard bottle shapes. If you have a drawing set or a statement pack, send that too, even if it is messy.

We prefer a direct email through our contact form with your city, timing window, and photos. If you are new to this, just mention whether you have three-phase, and include any previous failures. Our reply will be a specific practical sequence, not a brochure.

• Constraint list: What slows your line or fails in transit?
• 2-3 photos of the site or bottling line.
• Timing window for the visit.
• Shortlist of possible use cases or finishes.
• Any special power or space notes.
• Previous finish or durability failures (if any).

Pitfalls and notes from the floor

Teams that rush to pick a finish or fixture without stating their main constraint usually pay for it later. If you do not write down what you need to solve, your first Sample Lab Day may end up a nice demo without a useful result. Do not rely on the flashiest option unless your crew can support it without a specialist.

Most missed details come from power changes, site access, or assuming every bottle runs the same way. Bottles with high curve near the neck or odd closures may need a different fixture. If load-shedding strikes, we record where the prints stopped and resume testing without fuss. After every visit, we keep a short internal note (dates, constraints, one fix) so we do not repeat old misses. These notes make your second Sample Lab Day go smoother and avoid wasting your team’s week.

For more about fixtures, see Sample Lab Day fixtures & accessories. For past results, browse Projects or see how teams use our systems on the Use-cases page.