Brady B-428: Thermal Transfer Printable Metallized Polyester Label Stock

B-428 is a thermal transfer printable metallized polyester label stock with a permanent acrylic adhesive and a matte, light gray finish, designed for rating and serial plates that need nameplate-like quality. The one ribbon Brady recommends is the Series R4300, and that matters beyond print quality: the UL Recognized Component status and the CSA Accepted status both apply only when B-428 is printed with the Series R4300 ribbon, and every performance and chemical resistance result on the sheet was generated on R4300-printed samples. Shelf life is two years from date of receipt provided the product stays in its original packaging below 80° F (27° C) and 60% RH.

Figure 1: Brady B-428 — Metallized Matte Silver Polyester replicating stamped brushed aluminum equipment rating platesField Application Photo

Orderable Part Numbers, Packaging & Distributor SKUs

Official Brady SKUs, roll dimensions, package quantities, list pricing, Grainger part numbers, and printer compatibility for B-428.

Extracted directly from Brady Technical Data Sheets to prevent real-world application failures and chemical degradation:

• UL approval is conditional on the ribbon. Verbatim: "B-428 is a UL Recognized Component when printed with the Brady Series R4300 ribbon. See UL file MH17154 for specific details. UL information can be accessed online at UL.com in the UL Product iQ area." The sheet does not state any UL status for B-428 printed with any other ribbon.
• CSA approval is conditional on the ribbon. Verbatim: "B-428 is CSA Accepted to C22.2 No. 0.15-15 Adhesive Labels Standard when printed with the Brady Series R4300 Ribbon. See CSA Acceptance Record LS 41833 for specific details. CSA Information accessed on line at https://www.csagroup.org/testing-certification/product-listing/" The sheet does not state any CSA status for B-428 printed with any other ribbon.
• DIN VDE 0472 Part 815 (halogen-free): "Brady B-428 meets the requirements of a halogen-free material per DIN VDE 0472 part 815. (Statement based on review or product construction and confirmatory halogen content test run at an independent test laboratory.)" This statement is made for the B-428 material and is not qualified by ribbon.
• WEEE-RoHS status is not stated on this sheet. The sheet gives only referral URLs: "For information on the Weee-RoHS compliance status for a Brady Product go to one of the following websites: In Canada: www.bradycanada.ca/weee-rohs / In Europe: www.bradyeurope.com/rohs / In Japan: www.brady.co.jp/products/labelsuse/rohs / All other regions: www.bradyid.com/weee-rohs". Do not assert a WEEE-RoHS status from this document.
• Test basis for the environmental performance table, stated in the unlabeled sentence immediately above that table: "Performance properties were tested on B-428 printed with the Brady Series R4300 ribbon. Printed samples of the B-428 were laminated to aluminum panels before exposure to the indicated environmental conditions." Those results therefore describe an R4300-printed, aluminum-mounted configuration, not B-428 in general or on other substrates.
• Test basis for the chemical resistance table, stated in the paragraph directly beneath the "PERFORMANCE PROPERTY / CHEMICAL RESISTANCE" header bar and directly above that table: "Samples were printed with the Brady Series R4300 ribbon. Test was conducted at room temperature after a 24 hour dwell. Testing consisted of 5 cycles of 10 minute immersions in the specified chemical reagent followed by 30 minute recovery periods. After final immersion, samples rubbed 10 times with a cotton swab saturated with the test fluid." The table's own column group is likewise headed "SUBJECTIVE OBSERVATION OF VISUAL CHANGE (R4300 RIBBON)". Room temperature is the stated test condition; the one exception is the reagent row "SAE 20 WT Oil @ 70C", where the elevated temperature is named in the reagent label itself.
• Values are averages and are not specification values. Verbatim: "Note: All values shown are averages and should not be used for specification purposes. Test data and test results contained in this document are for general information only and shall not be relied upon by Brady customers for designs and specifications, or be relied on as meeting specified performance criteria. Customers desiring to develop specifications or performance criteria for specific product applications should contact Brady for further information."
• Compliance information is supplier-sourced and disclaimed: "Product compliance information is based upon information provided by suppliers of the raw materials used by Brady to manufacture this product or based on results of testing using recognized analytical methods performed by a third party, independent laboratory. As such, Brady makes no independent representations or warranties, express or implied, and assumes no liability in connection with the use of this information."
• Fitness for use is the buyer's to determine. From the Shelf Life section: "It remains the responsibility of the user to assess the risk of using this product. We encourage customers to develop testing protocols that will qualify a product's fitness for use in their actual applications." From the Warranty section: "Brady products are sold with the understanding that the buyers will test them in actual use and determine for themselves their adaptability to their intended uses."
• Unit derivation: "All S.I. Units (metric) are mathematically derived from the U.S. Conventional Units."
• Footnotes: this sheet carries no footnote markers. Checked directly against the PDF text layer — every glyph on all three pages is the same size, with no superscript characters, and no stray digit-plus-sentence follows any table. The isolated digits below the chemical resistance table are the rating scale legend, and the digits inside that table are cell values in the two rating columns.

ASTM Physical & Mechanical Properties

Standardized laboratory test data measured in accordance with ASTM D 1000, ASTM D 2979, and ASTM D 2671.

Thermal Transfer Ribbon Compatibility

Official Brady recommended ribbons engineered for maximum contrast, smear resistance, and UL certification compliance.

Chemical & Solvent Resistance Matrix

Standardized dip and rub immersion test observations across industrial fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.

Environmental & Aging Durability Testing

Verified Target Applications & Use Cases

• "Designed for applications like rating and serial plates that utilize barcodes, alphanumerics, graphic symbols, and logos that require nameplate-like quality."
• Special Features section, verbatim: "B-428 is designed to withstand numerous solvents and variable temperatures when applied to various surfaces."