Nameplate Blog

How to Assure Your Color Meets Your Durability Requirements

Nameplates need to maintain their original look while enduring a variety of harsh environments. The durability of your color is a key consideration in nameplate design.

First, consider the environment your product will be exposed to. An option of adding a protective clear coat in combination with printed color allows for the best protection. The next decision is determining which clear coat is required to meet your challenges. Finally, testing is performed to ensure the best possible outcome for your nameplate.

There are a variety of common tests to assure your product identification meets your requirements.



This image shows the results of a color tested with and without a protective topcoat. The clear coat protected from long-term UV exposure.

For more information on determining your durability requirements, click here to request a copy of our free eBook.

Nameplate Test Specifications

Nameplates, label and badges are exposed to a diverse range of environments requiring product testing to assure performance.  We work with manufacturers and product designers on issues related to product performance.  Often these involve bespoke tests for which no "standard" exists.

Nameplate Tests

Northern Engraving tests to ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards and other customer specifications.  Spec information is given as a general guideline.  Additional requirements may be passed through the use of a different topcoat.  Alternatively, if the specific tests are not required we may be able to reduce cost by using a different topcoat.

Standard Nameplates Specs

Following is a list of common or standard nameplate specs. Northern Engraving has the ability to perform these tests and many more.

• Pencil Hardness determines the hardness of a coating on a substrate by using pencil lead of known hardness.
• Fade-O-Meter or Xenon reproduces the weathering effects that occur when materials are exposed to sunlight, heat, and moisture as rain or dew in actual use.
• Salt Spray a controlled corrosive environment which is utilized to produce relative corrosion resistance information for samples of metals and coated metals exposed in the test chamber.
• Humidity the basic principle for testing water resistance of coatings using controlled condensation.
• Adhesion the procedure for assessing the adhesion of coating films to substrates by applying and removing pressure-sensitive tape over cuts made in the film.
• Abrasion Taber the determination of the resistance of coatings to abrasion produced by the Taber Abrasion on coatings applied to rigid surfaces.
• Water Immersion the basic principles for testing water resistance of coatings by the complete immersion of coated samples in distilled water at ambient or elevated temperatures.
• Heat Resistance an accelerated means of determining the performance of coating systems.
• Household Chemical Resistance performance of coating systems are evaluated to the resistance of various liquids used in the home.
• Q-U-V uses fluorescent UV light and water apparatus intended to reproduce the weathering effects that occur when  coatings are exposed to sunlight and moisture.

Additional Testing Capabilities

In addition to the typical test listed above, Northern Engraving has the ability to perform many other tests in house saving you time and money.

Tests we are capable of performing:

What environmental considerations need to be reviewed for your product branding application?