Our Industrial Tag Solutions
Etched metal tags combine durability and functionality. Crafted with precision on high-quality stainless steel or aluminum, your tags will last for years, even in harsh industrial environments. Essential for equipment labeling, asset management, facility organization, and more, we’ll create custom metal or plastic tags tailored to your specific needs.
Material Options for Tags
We manufacture tags in the following materials:
Stainless steel is the most durable substrate option, ensuring that your tag will remain clearly readable for a long time, even in harsh environments. We stock stainless steel in 0.018” – 0.125” thicknesses, with both 316 and 304 stainless steel available in most thicknesses. We also offer two finish options: the #4, which has a shiny exterior, and the #2B, which has a matte finish.
If you need your industrial tags to be durable, but also lightweight, consider choosing aluminum tags. They are not quite as hardy as stainless steel, but will still last a long time and are extremely popular for aerospace and transportation applications. We manufacture aluminum tags in 0.012” – 0.125” thicknesses, with other thicknesses available upon request.
Anodized aluminum applies a clear protective coating to raw aluminum, making anodized aluminum tags still lighter weight than stainless steel, but with enhanced durability and readability. At Etched, we offer anodized aluminum tags in black, blue, green, red, yellow, or clear.
Plastic tags are the least durable, because they are lighter and less rigid than other substrates. However, they are the most cost-effective option and offer high contrast and legibility, making them well-suited for indoor applications or environments without extreme conditions.
Process Options for Tags
Our industrial tag processes include:
Chemical etching creates a depth of 0.0015” – 0.003” and can be selected for stainless steel, aluminum, or anodized aluminum tags. It is the most durable and long-lasting process option, and works by dissolving part of the tag substrate in acid.
Metalphoto tags are manufactured by taking a “negative” image and exposing it on raw aluminum, then developing the image and sealing the tag in a hard anodized layer that makes it highly durable and resistant to extreme conditions. Metalphoto can only be selected for anodized aluminum tags.
Both fiber and CO2 lasers can create durable marking on industrial tags. Fiber lasers engrave with depth but can’t achieve a true black color; CO2 lasers can create durable true black marks on the surface of the substrate. Laser engraving can be selected for stainless steel, aluminum, anodized aluminum, or plastic tags.
Rotary engraving creates grooves 0.003” – 0.007” deep. Engraved letters and graphics can then be filled with paint for enhanced contrast and legibility. Since the toolpath of the cutting tool is predefined via specialized software, rotary engraving is highly precise and repeatable, making it the most efficient choice for high-volume orders. Rotary engraving can be selected for stainless steel, aluminum, anodized aluminum, or plastic tags.
Screen printed tags use UV-cured ink to apply a clear and readable image to a substrate. It is a highly cost-effective option and can be selected for stainless steel, aluminum, anodized aluminum, or plastic tags.
Not Sure Which Material or Process Option Is Best for Your Tags?
Learn more detailed information about how each option works, as well as its advantages and disadvantages, in our Industrial Tags Buyer’s Guide.
Applications for Industrial Tags
Designed to communicate crucial information about your products and equipment, Etched metal and plastic tags will last for years or even decades to come. Custom tags are especially crucial for industries like:
Why Partner With Etched for Your Industrial Tags
Looking for the right industrial tag supplier? Here are just a few ways Etched stands out from the crowd:
- Quality of material: We use the highest quality metals and plastics to ensure that your tags are durable, hardy, and built to last.
- Process expertise: We have decades of experience with laser engraving, rotary engraving, Metalphoto, screen printing, and chemical etching.
- No minimum or maximum order quantities: We put our best effort toward every order, regardless of size.
- Unique supply chain solutions: We understand that running out of tags can seriously hinder the efficiency of your operations. We’ve developed several innovative supply chain solutions that make the tag ordering process quick, simple, and streamlined (learn more about our Tag Inventory Manager, Tag Store, Tag Warehouse, and Bail Me Out Program). The bottom line? We get you the tags you need, when you need them.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have a standard lead time of two weeks, regardless of size of order. However, we understand that urgent situations sometimes arise, and offer rush orders and expedited shipping at no extra cost.
We’ll need to know the material, process option, and text or graphics you want on your tag. If you have an existing tag you’d like to order more of, a sample, drawing, or dimensions of the tag are needed.
At Etched, we pride ourselves on having no minimum or maximum quantities. We put our best effort into any size of order.
Before we begin manufacturing your tags, we’ll walk you through an art approval process to make sure everything looks the way you want it. If you still want a sample after the artwork approval, we are happy to provide one.
Have additional questions? Contact us today.
A Few of Our Satisfied Customers
“We used to always run out of tags but since we started working with Etched over (3) years ago, we’ve never run out and haven’t had to worry about them since.”
Valve Manufacturer - Oklahoma
“We can be a difficult customer because of our erratic order patterns and demanding timelines. Etched found a way to solve that problem and has been 100% on time for 3 years straight.”
Transportation Industry - Michigan
“With the environment we operate in today, it is more critical than ever to have vendors that can solve our problems in a proactive manner. We cannot be put in a situation in which a tag jeopardizes a shipment. Etched has implemented TIM (Tag Inventory Manager) in our warehouse and has completely solved the problems we previously had with our tags."
Process Industry OEM - Missouri
“Tags are now the easiest things I order. Thanks Etched for making my life easy!”
Valve Manufacturer - Louisiana