Labeling in the metal industry

If you want to engrave metal surfaces such as stainless steel, so-called laser marking is ideal. It is durable and abrasion-resistant - an important factor for many manufacturers who want to use such a marking as part of anti-counterfeiting or to ensure that the lettering is still clearly legible even after many years. An example of this is the labeling of safety-relevant components in the automotive industry.

Did you know that different types of laser marking can be created depending on the metal surface? While an engraving represents a clearly recognizable indentation, a deeper, different-colored layer can be revealed by so-called "removal". This allows better contrast to be achieved. However, some metals are also suitable for “tempering”: the heat and oxygen effects during laser treatment initiate oxidation processes that cause a color change. This makes clearly visible, even colorful laser marking possible without removing any material. This works, for example, with ferrous metals and titanium.

If you would like to know whether laser marking is suitable for your production goals, you are welcome to request a free product sample from us!

Our inkjet printers offer another possibility for direct marking. They can apply quickly changing print content cleanly to metal parts. This can be, for example, production dates or best-before dates. The non-contact marking process can be used on even surfaces as well as on rounded or curved surfaces without any problems.

Metal is a non-absorbent material. To ensure that the marking still adheres well and dries quickly, a specially suitable solvent-based ink must be selected. The entire production line must be considered here: does the product go through further production steps that require special properties of the ink? Does it come into contact with greasy surfaces? Does it have to survive a sterilization process? Maybe even change color? Conversely, incidentally, it can also be desirable for the inscription to be easily removable again after a specific production process.

No matter what your individual application requires - we will find the right solution for you in our wide range of inkjet printers and inks!

Labeling is one of the most important methods of marking metal products, components and packaging. With the help of labels, a wide variety of issues can be solved. Here are some examples:

• Barcode labels are used as part of Industry 4.0 to automate production.
• Type plates are necessary for the clear identification of an object.
• Dangerous goods labels and warning stickers present safety-related information.
• Product labels contain marketing content and consumer information.
• Security labels contribute to protection against counterfeiting through certain features and/or display proof of first opening.

Harsh production conditions are often present in the metal industry, especially in metalworking. With the wrong equipment, this can quickly become a challenge for product labeling. That is why Weber Marking Systems not only manufactures extremely durable labels, but also particularly robust labeling systems that prevent unplanned downtimes.

Would you like more information? Request a free consultation now!