Photoengraving Zinc Plate · Uncoated Zinc Plate (Polished)
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.
Overview
What This Product Is
SGZ Polished Zinc Plate is the uncoated, non-sensitized version of the SGZ photoengraving zinc plate. Plate from 0.8 to 3.0 mm is supplied polished, which suits CNC engraving directly, and shops that coat their own photoresist can sensitize it and etch it chemically.
99.95% purity
High purity zinc, which is what keeps the etched shoulder clean.
Polished surface
0.8 to 3.0 mm plate is supplied smooth and polished. Plate from 3.5 to 7.0 mm is supplied non-polished.
Works both ways
Engrave it on CNC, or coat your own photoresist and etch it chemically.
Thickness to 7.0 mm
More than double the range of the coated grade.
Who it is for
Buyers Who Specify It
CNC engraving shops
Engravers who cut zinc directly and need a smooth, flat blank.
Etching houses that coat in house
Shops with their own coating line that want to control the resist themselves.
Die and mould workshops
Zinc blanks for embossing and stamping dies in heavier gauges.
Trophy and signage makers
Engraved zinc for plaques and signage.
Problems it solves
What Goes Wrong Without It
- A coated plate is wasted material if your shop coats its own resist. The polished plate lets you buy only the metal.
- Coated zinc stops at 3.0 mm. Heavier engraving work needs stock up to 7.0 mm, which this grade covers.
- Engraving a rough blank costs cutter life. The 0.8 to 3.0 mm plate is supplied polished.
- Acid reaching the back of the plate ruins the run, so the same anti-acid painting and red film options are offered here.
Technical data
Specifications
Every figure below is taken from the SGZ specification for the Polished Zinc Plate for Engraving and Etching. Where SGZ does not publish a value, none is invented.
| Product type | Uncoated polished photoengraving zinc plate |
|---|---|
| Purity | 99.95% |
| Length x width | 1000 x 500 mm, 1000 x 510 mm, or as requested |
| Thickness | 0.8 - 7.0 mm |
| Front side | Polished from 0.8 - 3.0 mm; non-polished from 3.5 - 7.0 mm |
| Back side | Anti-acid painting (orange or golden yellow) or pasted red film |
| Suitable for | CNC engraving, or chemical etching after in-house resist coating |
| Packing | Inner carton with outer wood pallet or wood case |
Chemical Composition
| Aluminium (Al) | 0.02 - 0.10% |
|---|---|
| Magnesium (Mg) | 0.05 - 0.15% |
| Lead (Pb) | max 0.005% |
| Cadmium (Cd) | max 0.005% |
| Iron (Fe) | max 0.006% |
| Copper (Cu) | max 0.001% |
| Zinc (Zn) | Balance |
Technical Features
- Uncoated and non-sensitized, ready for your own resist
- Front side polished from 0.8 to 3.0 mm; 3.5 to 7.0 mm supplied non-polished
- Back side anti-acid painting or pasted red film
- Stock sizes 1000 x 500 mm and 1000 x 510 mm
- Very high purity at 99.95%
Materials
The same rolled zinc alloy as the coated plate, at 99.95% purity, with aluminium and magnesium additions and trace limits on lead, cadmium, iron and copper.
How it is made
Manufacturing Process
Rolling
Zinc is rolled to an ordered thickness between 0.8 and 7.0 mm.
Polishing
Plate from 0.8 to 3.0 mm is polished. Heavier plate is left non-polished.
Back-side treatment
Anti-acid paint or red film is applied to the reverse face.
Cutting and inspection
Plates are cut and checked for thickness and surface finish.
Packing
Cartoned and loaded onto wood pallets or into wood cases.
Quality Control
- Purity controlled at 99.95%
- Polished face inspected for scratches before packing
- Thickness checked against the ordered value
- Back-side coverage checked for acid resistance
Customisation Options
- Any thickness in the 0.8 - 7.0 mm range
- Sizes other than the two stock sizes on request
- Anti-acid painting or red film on the back
- Supplied plain if you do not need a back-side treatment
Certification
SGZ produces its coated zinc etching plate under Chinese patent no. 200410052148.6, using Japanese coating technology. SGZ does not publish third-party certification for this item, so none is claimed here.
Comparison
How It Compares With the Alternatives
Coated Zinc Plate for Engraving and Etching
The coated plate arrives with blue photoresist applied and goes straight to exposure, but tops out at 3.0 mm. The polished plate is bare metal and runs to 7.0 mm.
Highly Polished Magnesium Plate for Engraving and Etching
Magnesium is lighter and etches faster, and runs to 2000 x 1500 mm. Zinc is heavier and is the traditional stamping and coining material.
Brass Plate for CNC Engraving
Brass is chosen where the engraved part stays visible as brass. Zinc is chosen where the plate is a printing or stamping tool.
Use Guide
- For CNC engraving, clamp flat and cut directly. No resist is needed.
- For chemical etching, degrease the polished face and coat your own photoresist.
- Expose and develop to your own resist supplier's data.
- Etch in a powderless machine with Velv-Etch or SGZ zinc additive oil.
- Peel the red film from the back after etching, if you ordered that option.
Related Products
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Photoengraving zinc plate pre-coated with blue photoresist, 0.8-3.0 mm, with painted or filmed back.
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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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Etching Additive Oil
SGZ Zinc Etching Additive Oil
SGZ house zinc etching additive oil, a solvent for zinc plate etching, 20 kg plastic drum.
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Uncoated highly polished magnesium plate to 2000x1500 mm, from 0.5 mm, for CNC engraving and in-house resist.
View product →Answers
Polished Zinc Plate for Engraving and Etching Questions
Is this plate sensitized?
No. It is uncoated and non-sensitized. Coat your own photoresist, or engrave it directly.
Why is thicker plate not polished?
Plate from 0.8 to 3.0 mm is supplied polished. From 3.5 to 7.0 mm it is supplied non-polished.
What purity is the zinc?
99.95%.
Can I still etch it chemically?
Yes, if you can coat photoresist yourself. It gives the same etching result as the coated grade once sensitized.
What is the maximum thickness?
7.0 mm. If you need a thicker light-alloy plate, look at the magnesium tooling plate, which runs from 100 mm up.
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Read more →Request a Price on Polished Zinc Plate for Engraving and Etching
Give SGZ the size, thickness and quantity and you will get a direct factory quotation. Drawings for OEM etching can be emailed as an attachment.