Elevate Your Branding: A Guide to Embossed Metal Nameplates for Products

In today’s fast-paced world of tight schedules and juggling multiple projects, designing the right nameplate for your product may not seem like a priority but it can play a pivotal role in the success of your product. The key is to find a solution that not only stands out in the congested market, but also demands attention effortlessly. Enter embossing – a game changing addition that brings a new dimension to product identification, making an immediate impact.

Embossing elevates your nameplate. It creates a tactile and visually striking effect, adding sophistication and uniqueness, making sure your product doesn’t blend in on the shelf. The beauty of embossing isn’t only its effect, but its versatility. This can seamlessly integrate with a full spectrum of decorating options, tailoring the look to match your brand’s identity.

What is the Process and Purpose Behind Embossing a Metal Nameplate?

Embossing is a technique used in nameplates, badges, and emblems where your text, name, pattern, image or logo is raised above the surface using tooling, creating a three-dimensional effect rather than being printed flat. The height of the embossed area depends on the thickness of the metal you’ve chosen and the type of tool that is used. The embossed area is now a permanent marking that will stay in place for the life of the product, it’s a design element that can’t be erased or scratched away.

Here you can see an embossed metal nameplate (left) and the same nameplate without embossing (right).

When designing a metal nameplate for embossing, there are two tooling options to choose from: hardened steel tooling or low-cost tooling. Each option has its own set of advantages that we'll touch on here, but you can find even more information in this blog post.

Hardened Steel Tooling for Metal Nameplates

This type of tooling allows for high precision embossing. Hardened steel creates more defined edges, accommodating finer details like characters with a stroke width as small as 0.010” with an equally small spacing between characters.

Low-Cost Tooling for Metal Nameplates

This tooling option doesn’t offer the same degree of detail as steel tooling, but it’s a very common choice because of its low cost and quick turnaround – as little as one week or less. This option results in softer features and a bigger minimum stroke width of 0.015”.

Embossing Options for Metal Nameplates and Tags

Make your branding pop with an embossed logo on your metal nameplate! 

Elevate the visual appeal of your branded metal nameplate by including an embossed border.

Stand out on the shelf with an embossed background on your metal nameplate!

 

Give the appearance of debossed or recessed graphics.

Create dimension on your metal nameplate by adding multi-layered embossing.

 

Create more dimension by raising aluminum into multiple flat planes. (Some limitations apply)

If color isn't necessary for your metal nameplate, opt for a blind emboss! 

Embossing with no color creates subtle contrast between the graphic and the background. 

Incorporate depth into your metal nameplate by choosing to deboss.

 

The reverse of emboss. Tooling pushes the surface down to create an indent, with the height depending on the thickness of the material. 

Emboss a pattern unique to your brand to give your metal nameplate a boost! 

Give your product a distinctive edge and turn your metal nameplate into a statement, with embossing. Save yourself the hassle of combing through less effective options that fall short. Establish yourself and position your product confidently in the competitive market with a metal nameplate, emblem, or badge from McLoone.

Whether it’s your first time designing a metal nameplate or you’re wondering if adding embossing to your existing nameplate is the right move, we can help! Our skilled team will work with you to create the perfect metal nameplate for your product.