Find the Right Marking Device with Numberall’s Comprehensive FAQ Guide

As a 4th-generation family business, Numberall Stamp & Tool Co. has been a trusted leader in permanent indent marking for over 95 years. We’ve taken our expertise and distilled it into this easy-to-use FAQ guide to help you quickly find the perfect solution for your needs—one that offers durability and reliability for a lifetime.
This guide is designed to be a starting point. By answering a few key questions, you’ll be on your way to understanding which Numberall marking devices, from hand stamps to custom solutions, are the best fit for your application.

1. What type of material are you marking?
The material is the single most important factor. The hardness and composition of your part will determine the force required to create a permanent, legible indent mark.

• Plastics (PVC, Acrylic, etc.): For softer materials, a hand-held stamp or a light-duty manual press is an economical and effective solution. Our hand stamps and type holders create a clear, lasting mark on plastic data plates and parts.
• Aluminum & Softer Metals: These materials are relatively easy to mark. Manual hand stamps, type holders, or a sturdy press are all excellent options for creating a deep, permanent impression.
• Steel & Stainless Steel: These materials are much harder and require significant force. For these applications, we recommend our robust bench presses, which can be either hand-operated for lower-volume needs or air-operated for higher-volume, repetitive marking. These machines are built to create a clear, permanent indentation that will not fade or wear away.
• Other Materials (Wood, Leather, etc.): While our primary focus is metal, we can create custom stamps and dies for a variety of other materials. Manual presses and stamps are typically the best fit for these unique applications.

2. What type of information are you marking?
The data you need to mark dictates whether you need a fixed marking device or one that can be changed.

• Fixed Information (e.g., Company Logos, “Made in USA”): For data that never changes, a simple, custom steel stamp or a die for a press is the most cost-effective and straightforward solution. The mark is a permanent part of your brand identity.
• Variable Information (e.g., Part Numbers, Serial Numbers): For data that changes from part to part, you will need a device that allows you to quickly change characters. Our type holders, which hold individual steel type characters, are perfect for this. For automated or faster processes, a numbering head is a more advanced solution that ensures consistent and reliable indentation.
• Data Plates (e.g., Dog Tags, VIN Plates): For marking entire data plates, our Model 40B Numbering and Lettering Press is an industry standard. It allows you to quickly set and mark multiple lines of text and numbers with a consistent and permanent indent.

3. How often does your data change?
This question helps determine the level of automation and speed you need from your marking device.

• Daily or Infrequently: For low-volume production or when data changes only once per day, a hand stamp with a type holder is a reliable, economical, and long-lasting option.
• Every Few Minutes or Hours: For moderate production volumes, an automatic numbering head is ideal. These devices can be integrated into a press and automatically index to the next number after each mark, significantly speeding up the process and creating a consistent, deep mark every time.
• Constant, High-Volume Changes: If you are marking a high volume of parts with unique serial numbers or date codes, a fully automated, custom solution is likely the best choice. This is where Numberall truly excels, designing and building marking systems tailored to your exact production line for maximum efficiency and reliability.

4. What type of surface are you marking?
The geometry of your part is critical for selecting a marking device that can apply a clear, even mark.

• Flat Surfaces: The majority of our equipment is designed for marking on flat surfaces. This includes everything from hand stamps to bench presses. Our products ensure consistent depth and clear characters on flat parts, creating a permanent indent.
• Round Surfaces (e.g., Pipes, Shafts, Rings): Marking on a round surface requires a specialized device to prevent a distorted or illegible mark. Our rotary marking attachments for presses are specifically designed for this purpose, rolling the stamp onto the part to create a perfect impression.

While many marking technologies exist, our indent marking solutions offer a distinct advantage in terms of permanence, durability, and long-term value.

• The Mark of Permanence: A Lifetime You Can Trust An indent mark is a physical deformation of the material itself. Unlike laser, ink, or chemical etching that alters the surface, our marks are a part of the part. They cannot be worn off, scraped away, or faded by UV light, making them the ultimate solution for traceability and branding that lasts as long as your product.
• The Power of Simplicity: Built for a Lifetime of Use Our robust, mechanical marking systems are engineered for industrial environments. They are simple, reliable, and don’t rely on complex electronics, software, or expensive consumables. We are so confident in the quality of our equipment that we offer a lifetime warranty, a testament to its durability and a peace of mind that newer, more complicated technologies often can’t provide.
• The Economic Advantage: Long-Term Value, Not Short-Term Cost An investment in a Numberall machine is a one-time investment in a permanent solution. Without the need for expensive consumables like ink or gases, and minimal maintenance, our products offer a superior total cost of ownership. Your marking solution will be up and running for years, providing consistent, reliable results without unexpected recurring expenses.

Agriculture

• Problem: A manufacturer of farming equipment needed to mark serial numbers and part codes on steel components that would be exposed to harsh outdoor conditions, dirt, and daily abrasion. The marks had to be deep and permanent for traceability and warranty purposes.
• Solution: We provided a custom air-operated bench press with a heavy-duty numbering head. This system delivered the consistent, high force needed to create a clear, permanent indent into the thick steel parts, even on a high-volume production line.
• Result: The customer achieved a reliable, permanent marking process that ensured every part was traceable for its entire lifespan, regardless of environmental conditions.

Livestock & Pets

• Problem: A cattle rancher needed a reliable and permanent way to mark plastic ear tags for animal identification. The marks had to be highly visible and durable enough to withstand a harsh, outdoor environment.
• Solution: We developed a custom, king-size Model 50 automatic numbering head with hot stamping capabilities. We machined and engraved the oversized wheels to create a perfect, permanent mark on the plastic tags. Our in-house team completed the project and delivered the custom solution in just two weeks.
• Result: The cattle rancher’s livestock operations were improved with a reliable and permanently visible tag ID, ensuring every animal could be tracked easily and accurately for its entire life.

Electronic Component Industry

• Problem: A manufacturer of delicate PCB boards needed to permanently mark serial numbers and date codes without stressing the components and causing damage.
• Solution: We engineered a custom solution using our Model 50 automatic numbering head with specially designed round face characters. This allowed us to create a precise indent mark with minimal stress on the delicate part, even with our indenting process.
• Result: The customer achieved faster throughput and enhanced product security. The permanent, low-stress marking solution helped to reduce gray market counterfeiting and improve product traceability.

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