YOUR SOURCE FOR
INDUSTRIAL LABELING MATERIAL

Overview

Industrial labeling is a term used to describe labels, tags, and markings that identify items used in an industrial environment. This can include pipe tags, safety signs and tags, control panels, switch plates and labels, and equipment labeling.

Labeling/Tagging Considerations

Because of the wide-ranging applications for industrial labeling, there are several considerations when creating and offering your customers this type of product. Location, use, and even your fabrication method should be taken into account before beginning any industrial labeling project.

Ask your customers if the label or tag will be used in an interior or exterior environment. There are materials, such as certain engravable plastics, that are UV stable and outdoor weatherable and work well for indoor and outdoor use. However, there are materials that aren’t recommended for outdoor use, like untreated metals, that depending on the application should be avoided.

Next, confirm with your customer where the label, tag, or control panel will be used. The material used to create an interior light switch plate will be vastly different than one that would be used for an identification tag for a piece of outdoor heavy equipment. Using the right material can be the difference between a durable, legible tag or an unhappy customer.

Finally, be sure to check with your customers to see if there are any concerns about potential chemical exposure, fire retardancy, or cleaning requirements for the industrial labels. Several manufacturers, including Rowmark, offer engravable materials with special coatings that have chemical and fire-retardant properties.

Uses and Applications

There are many applications for items considered to be in the industrial label or asset tag category. From safety signs to equipment controls and asset labels, there are numerous opportunities for you to offer tagging and asset labeling products to your industrial and manufacturing customers.

Control panel overlays that direct the operator to particular dials and switches are a common use for industrial labeling applications. Typically made from durable, two-layer engravable plastic such as those offered by Rowmark and IPI, control panel overlays can vary in size depending on the equipment needing the panel.

Switchgear is a common term for any item that switches a relay or performs a command. Labeling on switchgear can include tags that show the direction a switch should move and what functions it performs, as well as signs and labels indicating safety instructions and warnings. Switchgear labels and tags may require materials that are not electrically conductive, such as phenolic plastics or sheet materials such as Rowmark’s Safe-T-Mark product line.

Equipment & asset tag labeling is vital for companies and businesses to properly track the use and preventative maintenance on equipment. Understanding the use for the tag is important to ensure your customer gets the right tag for the application. While you can fabricate a simple tag with a set of numbers from any number of materials, a tag that requires a bar code or QR code may need to be created from a laserable material that offers fine, detailed markings.

Signage is an important component to industrial labeling. From warning signs to equipment-use instructions, having clear, legible signs is extremely important in an industrial setting. When creating signs, look for materials that have high contrast between the background and letters, such as engravable plastics or printed decal signs and labels. Also, be sure to check with the customer on verbiage or if there are any local, state, or federal guidelines that need to be followed for the signs in question.

Materials

Asset tags and industrial labels can be created from many different types of materials, the most common being engravable plastic, engravable metals, and printed decals. Each material has unique properties that make them ideal for specific situations and applications.

Engraving plastic is one of the most common materials used in control panels, asset tags, signage, and industrial labels. Two layered plastic sheets from manufacturers such as Rowmark and IPI is easy to fabricate, durable, and gives a contrasting mark in a single fabrication operation. There are also engravable plastics available that have additional scratch, flame, and chemical resistance properties. Additionally, there are many engavable plastics that can be marked with a laser, making them ideal for fine, detailed images such as barcodes and QR codes.

Treated engravable metals offer an extremely durable option for high-traffic areas or extreme weather conditions. Metals can be rotary engraved or laser engraved with a metal marking spray such as CerMark. Engravable metals can be stainless steel, brass, or aluminum for a variety of applications and environments.