Aluminum Nameplates
Aluminum nameplates are aluminum shapes that have been engraved, etched, or otherwise labeled with a name, directions, or other information. They are used in offices, industrial facilities, institutions, and even in some homes to display a person’s name, the contents of a room, give directions, or for other informational purposes. They can also be placed on machinery to indicate a piece of equipment’s brand as well as operational warnings and instructions.
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Applications of Aluminum Nameplates
Aluminum plates are unique among other nameplate materials like brass, copper, and gold in that they are not vulnerable to sustained exposure to extreme weather, oxidation, trauma, UV rays, or other damaging forces. For this reason, they are often used outdoors and on machinery that is likely to be subject to sustained inhospitable weather conditions, abrasion and impact. They can also be used as indoor signage and labeling, though they are often painted or coated to enhance their appearance. They can be attached to surfaces with fasteners or adhesive. Because many adhesives are vulnerable to variable temperatures and weather conditions, they are more frequently used to fasten nameplates indoors than outdoors. Consumer products manufacturers, office suppliers, automotive manufacturers and many other operations deal in and supply aluminum nameplates.
Aluminum Nameplate Design and Customization
Aluminum nameplates are available in many shapes and sizes, and a variety of metalworking processes are used to make them. All aluminum nameplates must be cut from aluminum stock; cutting, machining, and pressing are essential parts of the aluminum nameplate fabrication process. Once an aluminum nameplate has been cut and shaped to the right specifications, it can be subject to more shaping processes, like bending, stamping, punching, and pressing. There are many ways in which words and symbols can be imparted onto a newly-shaped aluminum nameplate. The least expensive and least involved method of nameplate labeling is ink labeling. This can be done with precise machinery in a shop, though blank aluminum nameplates are sometimes sold in office supply stores, and they can be labeled by the end user.
More expensive, permanent physical labeling processes, like stamping, etching, and engraving, can give an aluminum nameplate a more professional look and are likely to outlast ink labeling. Depending on which labeling method is chosen, an aluminum nameplate can be subject to surface treatments to increase the nameplate’s resistance to heat and corrosion. Anodization is one method; when applied to plates after they have been stamped with letters, the plate can be expected to last much longer than an untreated plate.