Equipment nameplates – aluminium or stainless steel

Aluminium and stainless steel are two readily identifiable metals commonly used for equipment, machinery, and tool nameplates. Used extensively in a wide variety of industrial and commercial environments, metal nameplates are reliable, durable, resistant to chemicals and abrasion, and provide high levels of longevity.

Aluminium – key features

• suitable for general purpose nameplates
• malleable and easily machined
• lightweight – almost one third of the weight of steel
• shorter manufacturing process
• more cost effective than stainless steel
• wide-ranging nameplate applications

Three surface print finishes are available for aluminium nameplates. Silkscreen printing – enables a cost-effective surface print solution, but has limited long-term durability in harsh application environments. Anodic printing – provides an enhanced resistance to abrasion and chemical encounters. And chemical etching, which provides an extremely durable label resistant to both UV light and contact with harmful fluids.

“Aluminium nameplates require fewer processes during manufacturing compared with stainless steel, which results in lower manufacturing costs.”

Stainless steel – key features 

• suitable for high quality nameplates
• strong, functional and highly robust
• highly resistant to corrosion
• ideal for use in severe, extreme environments
• longer manufacturing process
• costlier than aluminium

Stainless steel nameplatesare chemically etched, and then in-filled with a heat-cured stove-enamelled paint. The result is a high quality, corrosion resistant nameplate with a durable finish which can be reliably used in extreme environments found in the petrochemical, marine and automotive industries.

Application versus cost

Aluminium and stainless steel nameplates are widely used across many industries including aviation, defence, transport, security, process control and medical to name but a few. Essentially, the decision to choose a nameplate manufactured in aluminium or stainless steel will be governed by the following key factors:

• user environment – specific outdoor or indoor habitat and usage, temperature variation and extremes, particular environmental conditions such as marine, petrochemical processing etc.   
• end application – the type, usage, and cost of the end product will influence the choice of material.
• manufacturing cost – aluminium nameplates require fewer processes during manufacturing compared with stainless steel, which results in lower manufacturing costs.
• unit cost – stainless steel is more expensive than aluminium on an equivalent per unit basis

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Inform Products have extensive experience and application knowledge, and can offer a wealth of professional advice to ensure the correct choice of nameplate material is made.

Call us now on 01473 820060 or contact us.

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