Chemical Etchers for Engraved Name Plates and Metal Signs

What is a Name Plate? 

A name plate is a plate, sign, or plaque that displays the name of an individual, company, or any other entity. Signs and name plates can be made of plastic, wood, metal, or glass. Chemcut builds name plate engraving machines for metal and glass.

How are Name Plates made? 

The chemical etching process to make a name plate is similar to chemical milling. A piece of metal with an image on it is placed on a conveyorized etcher, and the conveyor moves the metal through the metal etching machine for a preset amount of time. The metal is then rinsed and stripped, leaving an engraved name plate. 

The sign and name plate etching process starts with selecting the type of metal to be used and the proper chemistry for etching that metal. 

Next, a photoresist for that metal is selected so photo etching can be completed. The photoresist is laminated onto the metal, exposed to UV light, and chemically developed. For an in-depth description of this process, read more on our Photoresist Equipment page.

If you are etching stainless steel, ferric chloride will be the chemistry used. Name plates are typically just etched part way through the metal, producing either engraved or raised letters. To produce engraved letters, the manufacturer leaves the metal exposed where letters are to be engraved. The etchant will react with the surface, causing the exposed metal to be etched away and leaving letters engraved into the metal. 

For producing raised letters, the manufacturer exposes the area around the letters to the etchant. The etchant will react with the exposed surface to etch away the area around the letters, leaving raised letters. 

The photoresist is then stripped off using chemistry, rinsed with water, and dried. The metal sign now has the design desired and is ready for the next steps in your process.  

Sign etching and engraving follow the same process.