What is Metal Labels and Tags? Description is written by MINDWARE~

Published on: 08 Aug, 2022 | 12:39:35 PM

Metal Labels & Tags

Metal labels are known as durable and long-lasting solutions for marking important equipment and assets. Especially in highly regulated industries, such as aerospace and defense, metal labels are the leading choice for meeting the entire stringent item marking specifications and requirements. Metal Tags and Labels are the preferred choice for indoor and outdoor applications that require exceptional durability. We (MINDWARE) manufacture all types of Metal non-metal labels that are ideal for the equipments.

Custom Clothing Metal Label for Garment by MINDWARE

What are metal labels and Tags used for? There are several uses for metal Labels/tags, but the most common usage is identifying equipment, machinery, and valuables at a glance. Metal tags are rugged enough to handle the stresses of even the nastiest conditions such as acids, radiation or corrosives. Metal tags can come with pre-drilled holes in them that can be used for mounting or can be chained to machinery, pipes, or equipment.

In addition, if a metal labels/tag needs to survive not just for a few years, but decades, then a metal tag is used because it is durability.

Types of metal Tags

There are four basic types of metal Tags:

1. Screen Printed Metal Tags produces colorful images on a variety of different materials, is fairly durable and economical.

2. Anodized Aluminum Tags is very resistant to a wide range of temperatures, can stand up to abrasion and chemicals.

3. Stainless Steel Tags have incredible resistance to scratching, heat and chemicals because the graphics are etched in the material

4. Brass Tags are high in appearance and extremely durable. These tags are not susceptible to salt water and are perfect for coastal environments.

You can also choose many different shapes and sizes for metal tags. The most common are rectangle-shaped, and many are also circular in shape. Depending on what you need the tag for, the shape and size will be customizable based on your needs.

Benefits of metal tags

There are many excellent benefits of metal tags, including:

They are durable and long-lasting. It is not unusual for some metal tags to not only last years, but many decades. There are still metal tags that are still being used that date back 100 years or more. This makes metal tags perfect for any situation in which a label is not going to hold up, or you need it to last a long period of time in a very tough environment.

Metal tags are almost impossible to alter. With permanent metal tags where data is etched below the surface, you don’t have to worry about anyone ever changing the tag to say something different. There is no practical way to alter it, and for many companies, that gives a very important sense of security. The same is true for metal tags that relate inspection information. An inspector can stamp a tag with a new date, which gives an accurate and tamper-proof record of inspections. This normally requires that the inspector carry specialized tools to punch the tag in the field. Sometimes it is easier to just replace the old tags with a new one.

They can be customizable. There are many different shapes, colors, and styles that you can choose from. This gives you an excellent ability to customize what you want with your metal tags to match any environment.

What are metallic labels/Tags made of?

Aluminum is the primary material used to manufacture metallic labels. The labels are a great match for applications that require a material that is lightweight, fire-resistant, and resistant to solvents.

Our metallic labels are usually anodized for natural, metallic color or black. Colored anodizing is an option as well. The labels can be printed with ink or etched. In the latter case, the colored anodized layer can be removed to create a contrasting copy. In both variants, it’s possible to enter variable data like barcodes.

Advantages of Metal Labels/Tags –

· Exceptional resistance to weather, UV, extreme temperatures, chemicals, abrasion and corrosion.

· Permanent readability for the life of your part, inventory or equipment with little maintenance required.

· Can be fabricated using a large selection of graphic, die cutting, adhesive and mechanical attachment options to meet your most demanding application.

· Provide years of durability.

· Advanced MPC fabrication capabilities reduces your lead time and tooling charges while delivering labels and tags to your exact specifications.

We provide high quality dependable and durable metal labels and tags that will last the lifetime. Contact us today! +91 9810822688

Benefits of Metal Labels/Tags – Metal labels and tags are usually chosen for the applications that require a strong and permanent labeling solution. They are preferred for outdoor environments and any application subject to harsh conditions could impact the integrity of the label. These are a few of the main benefits that metal labels have over other choices for tagging and labeling assets:

Durability. Metal labels are generally stronger than those made of plastic materials and have excellent resistance to most harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures, UV, and saltwater exposure.
Return on Investment. Metal labels typically have exceptional shelf lives and don’t require frequent replacement. Aluminum is one of the most popular materials, and it’s also very affordable, especially in medium and high-volume applications. When comparing the useful life versus the cost for many applications, metal often provides the best overall value.
Quality. Metal is not only durable, but it also makes for an excellent substrate to use for high-resolution graphics. Businesses can customize the label surface with their choice of fonts, icons, and barcodes to create labels that integrate seamlessly into their asset tracking workflows. Metal tags can also be attached to any surface using mechanical means or a permanent, pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Laser Printing on Metal Labels

Various types of laser marking systems are used to print on metal Labels. These permanent codes are essential to ensuring that genuine products and parts can be quickly identified. They are used in aerospace and automotive industries, as well as on consumer packaging such as beverage containers and pharmaceutical product packaging.

Laser etching machines include a variety of CO₂, infrared, UV, and fiber laser systems. Since metals are heat-resistant materials, marking metals originally required high-density laser irradiation. These systems mark surfaces in three ways: laser marking, laser etching, or laser engraving.

Typical metals for laser printing include:

· Anodized aluminum

· Stainless steel

· Coated metals

Basic Methods of Laser Printing on Metal-

Let’s take a quick look at the three primary methods for laser printing on metal.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

This most popular method basically melts a 2D design onto a flattened bed of powder, fusing the powder and then adding layer upon layer to build the object. DMLS allows heretofore impossible designs. However, the process is very slow and produces metallurgy that approaches but does not in every instance equal traditional fabrication. DMLS is also known as selective laser sintering (SLS) or selective laser melting (SLM).

Directed Energy Deposition (DED)

In this powder-fed method, a highly concentrated metal powder stream is slowly released through an extruder and is fused as it meets up with a laser, forming layers at the surface of the part. DED is highly accurate for 3D laser printing of metal and is also used for repairing broken parts. This method is known as laser metal deposition (LMD).

Metal Binder Jetting

This method involves applying a liquid binding resin onto a powdered metal material. The layers are, in effect, “glued” together and then sintered in a high-temperature kiln. This process is faster and less expensive than the other two methods; however, the results are not nearly as strong or dense as the results you get with DMLS or DED.

Some Applications for Laser Printing on Metal

Laser printing of metal has become popular for a number of applications. These include everything from prototyping to functional component parts in various industries, to mass customized production of everyday items such as jewelry and kitchenware.

Laser printing of metal is highly popular in dental and orthopedic implant applications. It allows these products to be customized to meet individual patient needs. Laser printing of metal is also a widely used for the aerospace industry.

Advantages Of Laser Printing on Metal Tags-

The most significant advantages of laser printing on metal Labels are:

· The ability to produce fully enclosed voids and other features that are impossible to subtractive machine

· Structures that produce extraordinary part strength and a lightweight design that was previously impossible to achieve

For an industry such as aviation, where reduced weight of an aircraft means lower fuel consumption, lightweight is an important goal.

From an application perspective, the most significant advantage of laser printing on metal would be the “mass customization” that 3D additive laser printing ushered into industries ranging from aviation’s replacement parts to dentistry’s crowns and bridges, to orthopedic and prosthetic innovations, and of course, the entire prototyping business. Some of these unique shapes could never be produced subtractively. Even for those that could be machined or cast at a lower per-piece cost, neither method could conceivably approach the almost instantaneous delivery times that 3D laser printing of metal has made possible.

Laser printing on metal also can reduce the amount of waste material in the production process. Where traditional subtractive cutting methods involve the removal of material to create a shape, 3D laser printing of metal achieves a shape through the addition of just the needed material. Barcode Printing on Metal-

Metal and metalized substrates such as chrome coated paper and plastic have very unique reflective properties—unique in that the reflective behavior is not always what you would expect, and unique in that the reflective behavior of the substrate is often non-uniform. Overall, however, metal or metalized surfaces will scatter reflected light rather than return it in a predictable linear direction.

Consider this comparison: your reflected image from a mirror is relatively undistorted, coherent and recognizable; your reflected image from a piece of aluminum foil—even one that has not been crumpled and then flattened, is anything but undistorted and coherent. Perhaps you can detect small recognizable portions of your face, and there may be random areas that return a lot of reflected light, but generally the image is destroyed. That is what is happening with the metal substrate behind a printed barcode on a metal tag or aluminum beverage can.

In the case of the beverage cans, the printer, knowing this, uses the substrate as the low reflectance value for the barcode and reverse-prints the spaces (not the bars) in a high reflectance color such as white or red. To the human eye this looks odd, but it works perfectly.

For more information about printing barcodes on metal, please contact MINDWARE gm@indianbarcode.com

What data can metallic labels include?

Out labels can easily carry any type of variable data, as well as numbering or serial data. We can print labels with the model number, serial number, instructional schematics, crucial warnings, or various types of barcodes.

Printing options for metallic labels-

When opting for meeting labels, you can choose from various processes such as:

· Silk screening,

· Etching,

· Embossing,

· Anodizing (selective or covering the entire surface, including Metalphoto),

· Lithography,

· Digital printing (including the use of UV-cured ink).

Adhesive choices for metallic labels-

You can choose between several options here, including a 3M transfer adhesive 467, 468, 583, and 9472. These are the most common types, but 3M adhesive comes in a broader range. The choice of the adhesive depends on the surface’s energy, texture, and the application’s environment.

It’s also possible to mount an aluminum nameplate with screws if you require absolute permanence. This ensures that your labels last a long time. For more information you can contact us!

By MINDWARE~

gm@indianbarcode.com