How to Design Custom Aluminium Asset Tags

A well-designed asset tag is easy to read at arm's length, scans first time, shows clearly who owns the asset and survives for years. This guide sets out the design rules we use for custom aluminium asset tags, from size and layout to numbering, codes and colour, so your tags work as well in five years as on the day they are applied. To order, see custom asset tags printing.

Start with the asset, not the artwork

List the types of assets you will tag and where the tag will sit on each: the back of a monitor, the underside of a desk, a machine housing, a vehicle door frame. The smallest flat area on your most common asset sets the practical maximum size. Tags that overhang edges or sit on curves lift sooner.

Layout: what goes where

1. Owner identity: logo and organisation name, usually along the top.
2. Asset number: the most important text on the tag, in a clear, bold font.
3. Code: a barcode or QR code with a clear margin around it.
4. Optional line: "Property of…", "Do not remove", a donor name or a return phone number.

Keep everything else off. Every extra line shrinks the number and the code.

Numbering formats that work

Agree the format with your finance team before printing, and reserve spare numbers for future purchases.

Barcode and QR code rules

• Quiet zone: leave clear space around the code; logos or borders too close cause failed scans.
• Contrast: dark code on a light matte background reads best; avoid codes on shiny or patterned areas.
• Size for distance: larger codes for assets scanned from further away.
• Human-readable number: always print the number as text too.
• Test before the full run: we scan-test samples from every batch.

Colours and finishes

Matte silver anodized aluminium with black print gives the best readability and scan reliability. Brand colours work well for logos and colour bands, for example a different band colour for each department. Gold and coloured finishes look premium but check that codes still have strong contrast. Avoid gloss where lighting causes glare.

Shape, corners and fixing

Rectangles with rounded corners are the most practical: they fit most surfaces and resist lifting at the corners. Choose the fixing with the design: acetone-activated adhesive for furniture and equipment, self-adhesive for smooth IT equipment, or rivet holes for vehicles and machinery. If rivets are used, leave space for the holes so they do not cut into text.

Design checklist

• Logo and name readable but not dominant
• Asset number is the largest text
• Code has a clear margin and strong contrast
• Number format agreed with finance
• Size fits the smallest common mounting area
• Fixing method chosen for each asset class
• Proof approved and sample scans tested

Read more in customising aluminium asset tags and the components of an aluminium asset tag.