Durable Labeling with Metal Tags

Even though they’re small, tags can be surprisingly valuable to your business in a number of ways. Metal tags keep equipment, supplies, and company assets clearly catalogued, which helps improve the company’s organization and overall efficiency. Employees will be able to locate items faster, for example, which can help cut down on inventory mistakes, wasted materials, and time spent locating misplaced items.

Depending on the work setting, a well-defined supply management system can also help employees and customers stay safe. People can follow product labels to avoid potentially dangerous mix-ups or improper storage procedures, for example, which might otherwise create dangerous chemical reactions.

But for a tag to be effective, permanence and durability are key. If labels can peel off, become too worn to read, or get reapplied to the wrong location, company assets are at risk of becoming stolen, lost, or misused. Permanent metal tags address these concerns and offer a variety of benefits. Despite their diminutive size, metal tags can help you standardize your business, whether you manage an office, warehouse, industrial plant, or commercial building.

Advantages of Metal Tags

While plastic tags are adequate in some settings, like retail, it’s crucial to invest in metal tags for industrial environments because they offer the following advantages:

Durability: Unlike plastic, stainless steel isn’t easily broken or damaged and has excellent tensile strength. If you have a message engraved on the surface of the metal label, the writing will stay legible for years.
Long Life Span: Metal lasts decades longer than most plastic materials. If you can use metal tags longer than plastic tags, you’ll save money in the long run. Although they might have a slightly higher initial cost, metal tags won’t need to be replaced as frequently, which cuts back on the number of purchases you make and any labor that’s needed to replace old labels.
Suitable in Harsh Environments: If your tags are exposed to water, heat, salt, extreme cold, UV rays, or even just corrosive cleaning products, metal will incur less damage than plastic. Steel and brass, for example, won’t melt or burn, resists water damage, and can be used to label outdoor equipment and structures.
Corrosion Resistance: Exposure to chemicals or even just corrosive cleaning products can destroy plastic. Metal tags, on the other hand, can endure frequent direct contact with a variety of chemicals.
Sanitary: Metal is easier to clean and less porous than most forms of plastic. To keep your workplace as clean as possible, use stainless steel products because they won’t stain or retain odors and are antimicrobial.

Tips for Creating and Using Custom Metal Tags

When labeling your products or equipment, include all the information your company can use for identification—for example, the bar code, SKU number, date of production, product name, and product description. Having multiple identifying markers on the same label will allow employees to locate items even if part of the label text is illegible or obscured. This system also makes it easier for employees to sort supplies by different categories—for example, easily identifying all items that were produced during a two-month span.

With this suggestion in mind, businesses also need to decide how they want to customize their metal tags. The following elements can all be designed to suit your specific needs:

Text
Type of metal
Thickness
Imagery
Color
Marking process
Size

Types of Metal

The type of metal that’s used ultimately determines the weight, durability, operating temperature, and chemical resistance of your tags. It’s critical to select a metal that meets the specifications of your environment.

Here are some popular options:

Aluminum: Aluminum is relatively inexpensive, UV-resistant, and sturdy. It’s effective for outdoor and industrial environments.
Stainless Steel: Resistant to high heat and corrosion, stainless steel is perfect for labeling manufacturing equipment and creating a sterile environment. Because it’s easy to clean, stainless steel can also work well for labeling products that are handled frequently.
Anodized Aluminum: Anodizing aluminum adds another layer of protection against corrosion and wear. If you want to combine the impact resistance of aluminum with the chemical resistance of stainless steel, anodized aluminum is the best option.
Brass: Aside from being abundant and inexpensive, the main benefit of brass is that it won’t rust. If you’re working in a submerged environment or one with frequent leaks, brass tags will last longer than most other metals.

Marking Processes

Once you select the type of metal you want to use, your next decision is how to mark it. Here are a couple options we prefer:

Laser engraving: An engraver uses modern laser technology to carve letters, numbers, and other identifying information into the tag. The process creates shallow indentations in the metal, which makes the markings permanent. Engraved metal tags last the longest.
Sub-surface Printing: This printing technique creates an image or message that’s sealed beneath the anodized surface of the aluminum tag or plate. It allows precise detail work, like pictures, logos, shading, and fine lines. It’s virtually impervious to abrasion, chemicals, moisture, humidity and salt spray. It’s graffiti-proof and cleanable with lacquer thinner or acetone, without affecting the image sealed beneath the surface. Sub-surface printed anodized aluminum metal tags are durable and aesthetically pleasing.

Blank Metal Tags

While custom tags are appropriate for including specific information about a product, a potential drawback is that you can’t always buy these products in bulk. Purchasing bulk orders of blank metal tags lets businesses save money and engrave, print, or etch designs on tags in-house. If you have these capabilities on-site, blank metal tags are a cost-effective raw material.

Ordering Metal Tags for Commercial and Industrial Applications

If you need labels that can withstand exposure to water, wear, chemicals, UV, salt, pressure, or extreme temperatures, or just want an easy labeling system that lasts, metal tags are your best option. At Inland Products, we provide all the materials and methods described above, including: