Marking metal elements can be very useful, e.g. in car workshops, where mechanics often waste time looking for lost tools. Additionally, information about the expiring warranty or upcoming tool inspection can be saved there, which makes work much easier. However, in this case, not every type of tag can be used due to radio wave interference near liquids and metal surfaces.
The first of the simplest methods of marking metal surfaces are self-adhesive stickers. They are most often used indoors and their main advantage is very low cost. The reading range is approximately 1-3 meters. For electronic devices made of metal, an RFID tag with a length of about 11 cm is often used, characterized by a stronger self-adhesive surface.
RFID tags are also often found in the form of a plastic chip, which can be attached with double-sided adhesive tape, a screw and a self-clamping band. It offers reading from a distance of up to approx. 4 meters.
For special tasks, small-sized mini labels (45 x 5.6 x 0.86 m) are used. Thanks to their resistance to dust and high temperatures, they can be used to mark tools operating in very difficult conditions. An even smaller device is an RFID microchip, which, thanks to its dimensions (8.6 mm x 6.1 mm x 2.6 mm), can be used even on surgical tools. Both of these tags offer readings up to 1 meter away.
It is also possible to use tags operating in the UHF band and offering reading from a distance of up to 20 meters. However, in this case, to eliminate interference, special antennas and readers and the newer UHF gen2 standard must be used.
Marking metal elements, such as tools, can significantly improve work; an additional advantage is that each company or workshop can adapt the marking system to its individual needs.