
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There is a $15.00 set-up fee to target in the area that needs to be engraved. If you have multiple items the same size, shape, and area to be engraved it is a one time fee. If you have more than one area on an item or different items, each would require the setup fee. Also, since we charge by run time in the machine and we won't know how long your engraving would take until its finished I can only give you a rough estimate.
We can work with all images, but we prefer vector format files in .ai, .eps, .pdf. Vector formats work best as they do not distort when re-sizing and they also have clean edges, whereas raster format files are pixilated so they don't have clean edges and do not come out as well when engraved and do distort if resized. If you are unsure what these two file formats are please see Wikipedia's image file format page.
Yes, we can directly print photos on metal,
but photographs need to have good contrast and high resolution to work well. It is suggested that photographs be at least 300 dpi. Also, most photographs typically need to be reworked in some way to allow good printing which will be a fee of $50.00 per hour of work time with a 1/2 hour minimum.
Laser Marking Material (LMM) such as Cermark, or Thermark is applied to the item, wherever the laser hits the LMM a reaction is created where the LMM bonds to the material creating a permanent black mark. LMM Cermark works on stainless steel, aluminum, tin, copper, brass, chromed steel, titanium, tungsten carbide and lead-coated steel. The material is also expected to work on niobium, tantalum, silver, gold, palladium, platinum and pewter. It will not work on metals that already have a coating on them, such as a clear coat or lacquer. Marks on metal have withstood military lubricants, salt water spray, high heat and abrasion tests.