Farming and agriculture is one of the most important elements of our modern lives. We rely on this industry to provide food and animal products across the globe.
With both small and large-scale agriculture taking place today, farmers depend on their equipment more than ever before.
Whether your farm utilizes the latest state of the art auto-piloted tractors or does things the old fashioned way, maintaining and servicing equipment is crucial for a successful operation.
Metal identification solutions provide important information for workers and equipment servicers.
Applications
Asset Tracking
Large scale agricultural operations these days are akin to any other large industrial operation. There are a ton of moving parts, including workers, equipment, and product.
It can be a logistical headache to try and manage all of these pieces. Many larger farm operations utilize tracking solutions such as asset tags.
Keeping track of equipment is a major focus for this type of application.
For many organizations, barcode tracking is a must. This type of metal tag allows for quick and simple scanning of equipment into a computer system. The system can then be automatically updated with information regarding a piece of equipment.
This can include location, operational status, or simply logging for inventory purposes.
A simplified solution with serialized number marking is also commonly used for farm equipment, especially with smaller scale operations.
This marking allows for equipment to still be tracked, without having to incorporate a full computer and scanning system.
Inspections
Farming equipment is exposed to harsh environments, heavy workloads, and years of usage. In order to maintain a safe and effective operation, farming equipment must be inspected on a regular basis.
Periodic inspections of machines, tools, and equipment is vital for worker safety, as well as making sure that the equipment is working to its full capacity.
In order to track the status of inspections, many organization utilize tags. This can be as simple as a date of last inspection for a piece of equipment, or as complex as a constantly updated database using a barcode type tag.
Processes
Embossing
When it comes to farm equipment, exposure to the elements is just part of the job. With equipment and tools exposed to weather, mud, and other hazards on a regular basis, any identification solution has to be extremely durable.
Selecting a process which can accommodate these demands is important in ensuring an effective identification solution.
Metal embossed tags are created using a specially made die set, which produces durable raised characters in surface of the material.
These characters are very easy to read, even in dimly lit locations. In addition, if they are partially covered by dirt or mud, they are typically still legible. If not, they can be quickly washed off and look as good as new.
Photo Anodization
For identification plates which require more information or a more complex design such as a barcode, photo anodization is the way to go.
This process creates a design embedded within the material, which looks printed but doesn’t scrape off the way an ink would.
Photo anodization is rated for 20+ years in the toughest environments, including exposure to weather.
Materials
In addition to process selection, choosing the right material is equally important for any tag or nameplate solution.
Farm tags are typically subject to years of wear and tear from weather and usage. This means a durable material is essential.
A few examples of our material options include:
Stainless Steel
Aluminum
Brass
All three of these material choices are suited for the rigors of hard farm work.
Wrap Up
Metal identification solutions are extremely useful within the agricultural space. Having the ability to monitor location and status of farm equipment is a major upside for both large and small scale operations.
In addition, ensuring that farming machines and tools are safe and operating correctly is vital. Metal tags and nameplates offer a simple way to keep track of inspections.