Types of Metal Tags
There are numerous types of metal identification tags, ranging in weight, size and function. Find out how your customers will be using their tags so that you can determine the best solution for their needs. How visible or permanent must the lettering be? Will the tags be used in a harsh, chemical environment? How is the tag hung or mounted? How important is the cosmetic appearance of the tag? By answering these questions, you will be better prepared to present the best options. Some general categories of metal tags are listed below.

Banding tags can be used to secure a bundle of pipes, chains, wires, tubing, etc. The metal straps, which resemble trash bag ties, are useful for labeling difficult-to-store items. They can be used to mark cables and valves. In addition, the banding tags can be used to tie together products that are hard to organize for manufacture or inventory. Banding tags are suited to identifying company name, product number or trademarks.

Light gauge embossed tags, as their name suggest, are generally very thin, usually less than .020", and are ideal for embossed letters. The raised letters remain legible, even when painted over or soiled. The tags are appropriate for indoor or outdoor use because they withstand abrasion and moist environments. They generally have rounded corners for safe handling. Uses for these tags include identifying serial numbers, recording production specifications, describing bales, bundles, reels and coils, plant fixed asset tags, and warehouse control.

For batch printing by end users, nick and notch tags are a solution. The format is actually a continuous chain of scored tags for use in manual or automatic feed machines. Blank or pre-embossed tags are usually printed on-site in an industrial plant as needed. Custom printing may include laser engraving, embossing or screen-printing. After printing, the coil is separated into individual tags with rounded corners to minimize hazards. These are useful for labeling raw materials, recording and tracking work in progress or identifying finished goods.

Paper-covered metal tags offer the versatility of a paper label with the stability of a metal tag. The paper is bonded to a steel core for stability and cannot be torn or wrinkled. However, like a paper label, the surface can be imprinted with a company logo, address, instructions, model numbers, and other information. Paper-covered tags allow for fairly small lettering, and can be printed on both sides. This is an advantage compared to embossed metal tags, which are read only on one side. These tags are suited for shipping labels, packing slips, recording production notes, quality-control tickets, installation and assembly instructions, designating special handling and tracking goods in progress. They are easy to write on with pencil or pen, and erased if necessary. The paper surface will accept self-adhesive labels, and can be embossed or surface-printed with sequential numbers.

Platen-printed tags use camera-ready artwork to reproduce small lettering, rule line and logos onto a metal tag. These tags are often printed in a form-style layout that allows for variable information to be handwritten on the tag with a magic marker. They can also be mechanically marked by embossing or engraving. Platen-printed tags are used for labeling raw material inventory, quality-control tickets, tracking goods in progress, describing reels, bundles and stacks, warning and instruction tags, property protection ID, and identifying country of origin for shipments.

Pole tags are seen on utility poles and service boxes. Since resistance to the weather and outdoor elements is the primary purpose, the tags are usually sturdy aluminum. They are embossed for visibility and made as one piece to avoid cracking in extreme temperatures. Pole tags are also used for identifying wooden streetlights or equipment and machinery.

Heavy gauge tags are the kind found hanging on pet collars, as well as on pipe valves. These tags are usually .030" to .050" thick with indented, engraved or etched lettering. Larger letters may be infilled with an enamel color for a more finished appearance. Most industrial tags with repetitive wording or sequential numbers are indented with steel type. Custom indenting dies are used to stamp logos and other graphics. In addition to the standard rectangular shape, small indented tags are often round, oval, or elongated. Tags used as licenses for pets, novelty promotions, swimming pool and recreation passes, or permits may be shaped like a bell, a heart, a fire hydrant, a flower, etc. The many uses of heavy gauge tags also include key return programs, serial number tags, water and gas valve tags, property and asset tags, and industry nameplates.

Military dog tags are perhaps the most famous type of metal tags. Used to identify the soldier's name, unit and rank, dog tags also have gained popularity as advertising specialty promotions. They are also used as novelty fashion necklaces. Most dog tags for advertising specialty use are made from heavy gauge aluminum, with silk-screened or etched imprinting. The true military dog tag is embossed in light gauge stainless steel. As a side note, it was commonly believed that the notch in the early version of military dog tags was for placement of the tag in the teeth of the deceased soldier. This is a myth, however. The notch was there to ensure proper alignment in the stamping machine when embossing the lettering.

Embossed License plates are also considered metal tags. Municipalities that license special use motor vehicles or bicycles use customized license plates. Typical information on the plate would include name of the municipality, type of license, year for which the license is valid and sequential numbers. Novelty license plates are popular for organizations to sell or for companies to use as promotional items. These advertising specialty license plates may have multiple colors, logos and other custom graphics silk-screened before the aluminum plate is embossed. License plates offer sales opportunities for volume quantities of tags!

Materials
The various materials used for metal tags vary in cost, quality and durability. Consider the end use in determining the appropriate material. Tags subjected to harsh environments, chemicals, abrasives, cleaning products, or extreme temperature changes are most durable when made with stainless steel, enamel-coated steel or electrogalvanized steel. There are different grades of stainless steel that are more suited for high temperatures. Find out as much as possible about the end use! For use on a curved surface, consider aluminum or tinplate tags. Anodized aluminum must be used for tags that will be engraved, although plain mill-finish aluminum can be used for indented tags. Enamel-coated steel and colored anodized aluminum allow for color-coded tags. Brass tags can be made with either industrial grade brass or engravers' brass. Keep in mind that the final use will dictate the material selected. Don't try to use an industrial tag for an application where an elegant visual appearance is needed!

Other considerations
Ask if your customer requires blank tags as "extras" to have in case they are needed. It's more economical to stamp larger quantities of tags during an initial order than to reorder a few more later.

As you are determining the proper type of tag, consider how the tags will be attached to the object being labeled. Tags may have holes or slots on one or both ends to accommodate straps, screws, wires, nails, or rivets. Other tags may require an S-Hook, J-Link or O-Ring attachment, depending on their intended purpose. Still other tags may need to have a "locking" seal that cannot be removed without cutting the seal.

In addition to labeling industrial products, metal tags are needed in the consumer world for many reasons. Labeling scuba-gear, trees in an arboretum, stadium bleachers, or even firefighters' breathing apparatus equipment, requires unique applications for tag products. As stamp makers follow the trend of one-stop shopping and widen their product offerings, consider the benefits of selling metal tags.