Device for attaching a label to a substrate

Labels are permanently attached to a substrate, e.g., a tissue cassette, by use of a staking device. The device comprises a staker assembly and a cassette fixture assembly. The cassette fixture assembly includes a slot and a clamping assembly for securing the cassette within the device. The staker assembly includes a set of probes that are heated and sequentially moved into a position to burn a hole in a label that is provisionally attached to the cassette, and then the substrate is melted and displaced through the hole to form a collar bond that permanently attaches the label to the cassette. The label remains attached to the cassette when exposed to harsh environmental conditions, e.g., high heat, high humidity, solvents, etc.