Firstly it’s important to read below before attempting to add markings to our shackles.

Severe indentation during stamping results in material displacement. Excessive sharpness or depth of the indentation can become a focal point for stress, potentially causing fractures. Therefore, it’s crucial to mark areas with lower stress stamps on the object, using character sizes that are minimally sized for readability. It’s important to note that standard stamps are designed for flat surfaces. When stamping on curved sections, the central part needs to be raised differently from the edges to ensure complete character impressions. This challenge intensifies with larger stamps relative to the curvature.

While individual identification marks are vital, there are instances of unnecessary additional marks on equipment. For instance, marking the date of the next examination was once popular. However, this mark inevitably needs to be obliterated before the subsequent date stamping, causing inadvertent and concealed damage. Plant numbers, subject to frequent changes, also fall into this category. Often, alternative methods like colour coding, tags, or marking plates can convey such information depending on the equipment type.

For lasting identification, utilize dot peen marking or employ stamps with rounded profiles (referred to as low-stress stamps). Limit the number of marks on a shackle to a minimum. Avoid incorporating fractions and slanted strokes, favouring dots or hyphens over dividing lines.