Industry application
Etched and Engraved Nameplates Labels and Metal Cards
Nameplates, labels and metal cards are small etched or engraved parts where the metal is visible in the finished product. SGZ etches them to a drawing, and supplies brass and polished zinc plate to engravers who cut their own.
Industry pain points
What Goes Wrong in This Industry
Short runs that a plate mill will not quote
SGZ quotes etched cards and labels per design rather than by tonnage.
Printed labels that wear off
Etching cuts the image into the metal instead of printing on top of it.
Brass blanks with no grinding allowance
SGZ leaves around +0.13 mm on its brass engraving plate so the shop can grind it flat.
Engraving stock that eats cutters
The brass plate is specified for engraving, which helps knife life on long runs.
Recommended products
What SGZ Supplies Into This Work
OEM Etch Service
Etching Service for Metal Name Cards
Etched metal name cards and VIP cards to your drawing, quoted per design, shipped by courier.
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OEM Etch Service
Etching Service for Metal Labels
Etched metal labels, nameplates and plaques to your drawing, quoted per design.
View product →Brass Plate for Engraving
Brass Plate for CNC Engraving
Brass engraving plate, 0.7-50 mm, to 2000x400 mm, supplied with a +0.13 mm grinding allowance.
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Photoengraving Zinc Plate
Polished Zinc Plate for Engraving and Etching
Uncoated, polished photoengraving zinc plate, 99.95% purity, 0.8-7.0 mm, for CNC engraving or your own resist.
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Photoengraving Magnesium Plate
Highly Polished Magnesium Plate for Engraving and Etching
Uncoated highly polished magnesium plate to 2000x1500 mm, from 0.5 mm, for CNC engraving and in-house resist.
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Copper Plate for Etching
Polished Copper Plate for Photoengraving and Etching
Mirror-surfaced photoengraving copper plate in 1.0, 1.4, 1.5 and 2.0 mm, to 2000x600 mm, etches in FeCl3.
View product →Typical scenarios
Where the Plate Ends Up
VIP and membership cards
Etched metal cards for hotels, clubs and corporate programmes.
Equipment rating plates
Etched nameplates and serial labels.
Engraved signage
Brass and zinc cut on CNC by the engraver.
Presentation plaques
Etched brass plates for commemorative use.
Delivery capability
What SGZ Can Actually Supply
- Etched to drawingCards, labels and nameplates quoted per design.
- Engraving stockBrass 0.7-50 mm to 2000 x 400 mm; polished zinc 0.8-7.0 mm.
- Large formatsPolished magnesium to 2000 x 1500 mm for oversized panels.
- Courier deliverySmall parcels ship on five international courier accounts.
Plate, chemistry, machines and packing all come from the same supplier, which is what keeps the etch result repeatable across a programme.
Related Sample Work
Sample work
Etched Metal Name Cards and VIP Cards
A metal card carries fine text at small size. The etch has to clear the background evenly without undercutting the characters,...
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Sample work
Etched Brass Art Plaque
A decorative panel has no tolerance for a flat-looking etch. The image needs a range of depths across one plate so the light...
Read more →Answers
Signage Nameplates and Metal Cards Questions
Do I buy plate or send a drawing?
Send a drawing if you want finished cards or labels. Buy plate if you engrave or etch in house.
Which plate do engravers use for signage?
Brass for work where the brass stays visible, polished zinc where the plate is a tool.
Why is the brass plate not polished?
So you can grind it flat on your own machine. Around +0.13 mm of thickness is left on for that.
How large can an engraved brass panel be?
Up to 2000 mm long and 400 mm wide.
Guides for This Industry
Comparison Guide
Coated or Uncoated Photoengraving Plate
Coated plate arrives ready to expose but is limited in thickness and size. Uncoated plate is bare metal, goes thicker and larger,...
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Specification Guide
Plate Size and Thickness Guide
Every SGZ plate size and thickness in one table: zinc, magnesium, brass, copper and magnesium tooling plate, with the maximum...
Read more →Supplying Signage Nameplates and Metal Cards
Describe the job and SGZ will say which plate, which additive and which machine size fit it.