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The Nameplate FAQ page covers common questions in the following areas.

 

 blue dot button  General Nameplate
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 blue dot button  Materials
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Nameplate Blog

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Design of Product Branding Nameplates

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Mon, Jan 31, 2011
 

Nameplate Design Checklist Mind Map

 

nameplate design mind map 

In addition to being easily recognized and attractive, good product branding supports a solid brand identity.  Customers associate your brand identity with your name.  Your nameplate, effectively designed, reinforces your brand identity.  It represents the brand experience. 

Standing out among competitors is a challenge for any company today.  Strong brand strategies increase awareness of your company and the products it offers.  Designing your nameplate to be in alignment with your branding strategy strengthens your brand message in the marketplace.

Early consideration of budget, method of application and environmental requirements helps us offer you the options which best meet your needs.  Use this mind map as a basic checklist of areas to be considered when beginning to develop product branding.  Design of nameplates involves making a variety of decisions about the preferred look and desired functionality of your product branding.  Consideration of all areas up front helps to minimize expenses and expedite the entire process, from quoting to manufacturing.  We can help guide you through the design process answering any questions you have in each of the areas.  Our engineers, designers and customer service groups work together to make support your needs in building a nameplate that represents your good name.

Related Article

The Nameplate Design Process from Start to Finish

Nameplate Materials & Processes Guide

Request a Nameplate Materials and Processes Guide to begin exploring the options available to you in creating your product branding.  Custom color matches, texture and assembly are only some of the options in creating your nameplate. 

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Nameplate Archive: Corvette Steering Wheel Insert

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Wed, Jan 26, 2011
 

corvette aluminum steering wheel insert

This aluminum steering wheel insert, manufactured for Corvette, uses selective doming to add dimension to the Corvette logo.  A combination of opaque and transparent color are used along with embossing to add detail to the logo.

Nameplate Materials & Processes Guide

Request a Nameplate Materials and Processes Guide to begin exploring the options available to you in creating your product branding.  

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Beauty and Cosmetic Packaging Appliqués and Inserts

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Mon, Jan 24, 2011
 

cosmetic decoratives loose

Packaging innovation is a key element in beauty marketing today. This is illustrated by the continuous launch of unique packages on the market.  Decorative inserts and labels are a key element in the differentiation of products and their packaging.  

Northern Engraving manufactures a wide variety of decoratives on metal and plastic substrates for the cosmetics, fragrance, aromotherapy, skin care and personal care industries.  All are custom manufactured using printing, embossing and forming to create unique looks.  This short video includes examples of decoratives manufactured for the beauty industry. 

Beauty and Cosmetic Decoratives

 

Plastic and Metal Decoratives

  • nameplates
  • cabochons 
  • metal appliqués 
  • cap inserts 
  • flexible labels           
  • domed labels
  • compact inserts
  • metal compacts
  • accent trim
  • jar lid inserts
  • metal sleeves
  • metal hangtags

Request samples of beauty product appliqués to begin exploring the options available to you in adding a distinct look to your beauty product.

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Go Packers!

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Thu, Jan 20, 2011
 

Aluminum Packer Emblems and Switchplate

No question about it, in Wisconsin we love our Packers.  Of course there is that occasional Bears fan but you have those oddities anywhere.  We'll be cheering our team on Sunday during the NFC championship.  In honor of the game we are sharing some of our favorite nameplates!

Over the years we have manufactured several aluminum badges with our beloved green and gold.  They have been part of various series of NFL emblems used on numerous products.  The Packers stand out as our favorite.  Here's a selection of some of the Packer emblems we have printed on metal.

green bay packers aluminum nameplates

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4 Examples of Durable Underhood Badges

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Wed, Jan 19, 2011
 
Tags: 

Aluminum Automotive Emblems

Durability is certainly a very important aspect of underhood badging.  So choosing the proper combination of substrate and decorative options is a key step in the design process.  You can have a simple and clean design or a bold and strong one.  You can go colorful or take advantage of the metal substrate with brushed and bright surfaces.  Metallics, gloss black and embossed texture, all are protected with a clear topcoat to meet the requirments of this harsh environment.  From simple embossing to multi-dimensional embossing we have selected some good examples of underhood badging to show here.

opel aluminum underhood badgeSaturn underhood badgeVauxhall underhood aluminum badgelion underhood badge

Related Articles

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Automotive Wheel Inserts
Corvette Steering Wheel Insert
Ford Mustag Emblem
Mustang GT | Engine Cover Nameplate
Steering Wheel Horn Button | Aluminum

Nameplate Materials & Processes Guide

Request a Nameplate Materials and Processes Guide to begin exploring the options available to you in creating your product identification.

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Nameplate Metal Tear Tab

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Mon, Jan 17, 2011
 

Aluminum Nameplate Assembly

Calvin Klein Eternity aluminum nameplate

Metal tear tabs are a cost effective option in assembly of  nameplates to your products.  Tear tabs are typically a small rectangular piece of metal extending outside the edge of your nameplate separated by a score line.  Tear tabs are used in removal of adhesive liners.  This articles covers guidelines and options in designing a tear tab on a metal nameplate. 

Watch this short video to see how a tear tab is used to remove the adhesive liner from a nameplate. 

Metal Tear Tab Construction

abbed nameplate technical diagram

Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Brass (Polycarbonate also available)
Thickness: .018", .023"
Adhesive: Non-supported Adhesives
Design: Best suited to straight edges but may be used on curves

Alternative Option | Selectively Applied Die Cut Tear Tab

die cut adhesive tabbed nameplates

A selectively applied die cut tear tab is a popular alternative in creating a tab to assist in the removal of adhesive liners.  Several examples are shown here.  This option works for foam adhesives and dimensional nameplates requiring molded backplates.

Advantages of Metal Tear Tabs

Simplification of assembly: Tear tabs simplify and help to expedite the removal of adhesive in the assembly process.

Cost savings in tooling and fixtures: A die blanks the part (and tear tab) and score line all at once, there is no need to build a separate die for adhesive or an adhesive assembly fixture.  The alternative option, selectively applied die cut tear tab, requires a separate die and may require an assembly fixture.

Cost savings in piece price: Additional labor is not required for assembly of adhesive to faceplate.  This option also eliminates the need for an extra adhesive liner prior to assembly.  A selectively applied die cut tear tab requires removal of a liner prior to assembly to the nameplate.

Design Considerations

Removal of a metal tear tab will result in a small disruption on the outer edge of the part where the tab was.  How visible the disruption is depends on the color and finish used in this area of the nameplate or emblem.   Highly reflective and dark finishes make the disruption more obvious while a matte finish helps to minimize it.  Metal tear tabs are best suited to a straight edge but can be used on circular dials.  They are often located in a hidden or less visible area.  Our engineers are available to answer questions and help to optimize the design of your part.   

Nameplate Materials & Processes Guide

Request a Nameplate Materials and Processes Guide to begin exploring the options available to you in creating your product branding. 

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Nameplate Archive: Cadillac Wheel Insert

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Wed, Jan 12, 2011
 

Aluminum Automotive Wheel Inserts

Cadillac wheel insert

Whether you are taking a subtle elegant approach or a bold attention-getting one, aluminum is an excellent way to add depth and interest to a wheel insert design.  The Cadillac wheel insert shown here features a unique spin effect which catches the light creating highlights and shadows which radiate from the center of the circular insert.  The Cadillac crest is blind embossed into the aluminum for a subtle effect.

Cougar wheel insert

The Cougar emblem uses the same spin effect combined with bright aluminum to create an attractive wheel insert.  Both emblems use a clear topcoat to protect the wheel inserts from the elements.   

Nameplate Materials & Processes Guide

Request a Nameplate Materials and Processes Guide to begin exploring the options available to you in creating your product branding.  

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9 Inspiring Harley-Davidson Tank Badges

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Mon, Jan 10, 2011
 

Inspiration plays a key role in the growth of designers.  One of our goals on the Nameplate Blog is to stimulate growth by sharing examples of what other designers are doing.  It is difficult to improve and grow your skills without seeing what is possible.  That's why we think it's important to share excellent examples of product branding with you.  So here are 9 inspiring Harley-Davidson tank badge designs.  All are printed on aluminum and embossed.  Bright and brushed aluminum are accented with diamond cut graphics in many of the badge designs.  Enjoy!

aluminum Harley Davidson badge

aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge aluminum Harley Davidson badge

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Nameplate Blog's Top Articles in 2010

Posted by Deidre Kruser on Wed, Jan 05, 2011
 
Tags: ,

NP Blog top articles 2010

Sharing what we know about product identification, nameplate design and material and process options in product branding is what this blog is here for. Since the day it started almost two years ago, the focus has been on providing practical, interesting, and valuable advice on how to connect with customers through product identification.  And of course learn more about what you want to and need to know about designing nameplates.

Here is a selection from some of the most popular posts on the Nameplate Blog:

Nameplate Design

  • The Nameplate Design Process from Start to Finish
  • Four Ways to Hide the Raw Edge on an Aluminum Nameplate
  • Metal and Plastic Processes

  • 3-D Embossed Nameplates
  • How to Create a Nameplate with Individual Letters
  • Embossed Aluminum Nameplate for Product Identification
  • Laser Etched Nameplates, Plaques and Badges
  • Four Diamond Cut Nameplate Options
  • Domed Label and Tag Manufacturing
  • Materials

  • When You Need a Stainless Steel Nameplate
  • Etch and Fill Brass Furniture Plates
  • Nameplate Materials & Processes Guide

    Request a Nameplate Materials and Processes Guide to begin exploring the options available to you in creating your product identification.

    

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    10 Clean and Minimal Nameplates Designs

    Posted by Deidre Kruser on Mon, Jan 03, 2011
     

    For us, there is nothing more inspiring than the design of a clean and minimal nameplate -unless of course, you have a fabulous new pattern design.  Clean design, a nameplate with a few carefully chosen elements representing your product brand, brings to life the less is more mantra with emphasis on clarity.  Since clean and minimal design is always popular, we've gathered a group of examples for your inspiration.  Enjoy.

    clean and minimal nameplates

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