Custom Serial Plates for Equipment
Every identifier traceable to one record
Custom serial plates and VIN plates with sequential or supplied variable data, each identifier tied to one equipment record. Marked in metal by etching, Metalphoto®, or embossing, so the number is still readable decades into service.
About serial plates
A serial plate is the one piece of identification on a machine that cannot be replaced from memory. It ties a physical unit to a warranty record, a service history, a parts list, and in many industries a regulatory obligation. When it becomes unreadable, the equipment record effectively goes with it.
That is why these plates are specified differently from the rest of the identification on a machine. They are built to be read after the paint has faded, the decals have gone, and the machine has changed owners twice.
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Serial number plates tied to one equipment record
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VIN plates for vehicles and towed equipment
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Property and asset tags for fleets and capital equipment
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Component and sub-assembly tags for motors, pumps, gearboxes, and valves
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Barcode and QR-coded tracking plates
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Specification plates carrying build and configuration data
Sequential numbering and barcoding
Sequential numbering and barcoding are available on both metal and flexible plates. Send a number range or a data file and the plates are produced in sequence, so they arrive at your line in order and nothing is duplicated or skipped.
Sequential serial numbers
Produced from a range you specify, in order, with the numbers recorded so a rerun continues rather than restarts.
Barcodes and QR codes
Printed or Metalphoto imaged. Where a code has to scan for the life of the asset, the imaging process matters more than the code itself — a printed barcode that has faded will not scan even if a human can still read the digits.
Customer-supplied variable data
Model, configuration, build date, or any field that changes per unit, taken from your file.
Duplicate and replacement plates
Single-plate reruns for units already in the field, produced to the original specification.
Variable data is printed digitally. See digital printing.
Serial plate materials
Plates and tags can be custom-made from metal or flexible materials at any size. Material choice is the biggest single lever on how long the plate stays readable.
Aluminum — .005″–.125″
Bright, foil, and mill finishes. The general-purpose choice, temperature resistant with good corrosion resistance, and it machines and forms well.
Anodized aluminum — .005″–.125″
Black, clear, red, and gold. Sapphire-hard surface, roughly 20-year exterior life. The most widely used material for industrial serial plates.
Metalphoto® — .003″–.125″
Matte, satin, and satin gold. The image sits beneath the sealed anodic layer, so there is nothing on the surface to wear away. UL recognized and specified where military-grade durability is required.
Stainless steel — .010″–.035″
2B mill finish. The preferred choice for caustic and acidic environments, roughly 20-year exterior life.
Brass — .020″–.032″
Brushed and UV coated, non-sparking, resistant to saltwater and chemicals.
Polyester — .002″–.010″
Silver typeable, brushed chrome, and matte chrome finishes. UL recognized, with 2–5 year expected exterior life. The economical option for interior and short-service tags.
Serial plate marking methods
Plates and tags can be screen or digitally printed for durability, or aluminum etched for harsh conditions. The right method is decided by how long the number has to survive and what is attacking it.
Metalphoto® imagingThe most durable. A silver-halide image developed inside the anodic layer, sealed over. Specified for military, aerospace, marine, and heavy construction. See
Metalphoto processing.
Metal etchingThe graphic is recessed into the metal and left natural or color filled. Highly resistant to abrasion and chemicals, and the usual answer for equipment living outdoors. See
metal etching.
EmbossingMatched dies raise the characters off the face. The information stays legible many years after harsh service has worn any printed image off the same plate. See
embossing and forming.
Screen printingDense, opaque ink with strong abrasion and solvent resistance. Cost effective in production quantities. See
screen printing.
Digital printing
Near-photographic quality with no tooling, and the only practical method for per-unit variable data in short runs.
If a plate has been coming back illegible from the field, tell us the environment rather than the specification you are currently buying. The fix is usually a change of method, not a change of supplier.
Attachment and mounting
A serial plate that falls off has failed as completely as one that faded — and on a serial plate, loss is worse than wear, because there is no way to recover the number from the machine.
Mechanical fasteners
Screws, rivets, or bolts through machined holes. The most durable option. We cut holes in almost any location from .05″ to 3.5″, with hole patterns machined to your print.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Fast to apply and very durable when the adhesive matches the surface. Low-surface-energy options are available for powder-coated and plastic surfaces.
Tamper-evident constructions
Where a plate must show evidence if it is removed, which matters on asset tags and anything with a theft or compliance dimension.
Welding
Permanent, for plates of sufficient thickness on equipment where the plate will never move.
How a serial plate order runs
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Send your drawing, artwork, or a sample plate. Our seasoned art department turns a blueprint or artwork into a press-ready proof at no charge, and quotes are free on every order.
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We confirm the construction. Material, marking method, thickness, and mounting, chosen against the environment and the service life you need.
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You approve the proof. Including a sample of the number sequence and any barcode, verified as scannable.
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Production. Most jobs finish 7–10 days after the proof is approved, in an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility. Rush work runs 3–5 business days for an additional fee.
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Delivery or release. Orders ship within a 10% over/under quantity standard, or run against a stocking program so plates arrive in sequence as the line needs them.
Serial plate RFQ checklist
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Plate size and any hole positions, or a sample of the current plate
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The number range, and whether numbering continues from a previous order
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Whether the plate carries a barcode or QR code, and what will scan it
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What the plate mounts to, and whether it is fastened or bonded
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The environment it lives in, and how long the number must stay readable
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Any regulatory or customer specification that applies
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Quantity and your timing, including the date the line actually needs parts
If you do not have all of that yet, send what you have and call 319-895-8804. Customer service is open 8:00 AM–4:30 PM CST Monday through Thursday and 7:00 AM–3:30 PM CST Friday, and you will always reach someone in person.
Since 1946
Family-owned and operated in Mount Vernon, Iowa
3,000+
OEMs supplied across the U.S. and abroad
25 years
Outdoor exposure, some products guaranteed longer
7–10 days
Typical production after proof approval
$0
Tooling fee on in-house equipment
Why U.S. Nameplate Co.
Why OEMs source serial plates from U.S. Nameplate Co.
One partner, one roof
Metal identification and flexible labels are produced under one roof in Mount Vernon, Iowa, so a single supplier covers plates, tags, overlays, decals, and safety labels instead of three.
No tooling fee on in-house equipment
U.S. Nameplate Co. does not charge a tooling fee for any in-house equipment. A one-time charge applies only when a tool has to be created for your order.
You reach a person
Customer service representatives are available 8:00 AM–4:30 PM CST Monday through Thursday and 7:00 AM–3:30 PM CST Friday. You will always reach someone in person.
Built to outlast the equipment
Metal nameplates are built to withstand up to 25 years of outdoor exposure, with some products guaranteed for 25 years or more. Safety labels are UL authorized and OSHA compliant, produced in an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility.
Family-owned since 1946
Supplier of choice to more than 3,000 original equipment manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad, with team members averaging 10+ years of service.
One piece or one million
The 55,000 sq ft climate-controlled facility is equipped to handle orders from a single plate to production volumes, on repeat release schedules.
Request a quote for serial plates
We offer free quotes on all serial plates orders. Send the drawing, artwork, quantities, application, and timing you have today — our art department turns a blueprint into a press-ready proof, and we will tell you what is still open.
Most jobs finish 7–10 days after the proof is approved. Rush orders can be produced in 3–5 business days for an additional fee. Orders ship within a 10% over/under quantity standard.
Request a Quote or call 319-895-8804 and you will reach someone in person.
