6 Different Marking Methods You Can Use for Decorative Trim Plates

Decorative trim plates can be used for many different applications. These can be used as branding tags, as tags that carry your contact information, and even as business cards. These can also be used to decorate items in order to make them ideal for corporate gift giving purposes.

With the many uses of these metal nameplates, you may be wondering, are there a variety of marking methods for me to choose from? These decorative trim plates can actually come in many shapes, sizes, and materials. These can also be marked in many different ways. To show you what these marking mediums are, here are a few that some people choose to use with these:

Embossing – when you want your metal nameplates to have that unique, 3-dimensional appeal that can only come from plates with a raised surface, then embossing is what you should choose. This marking method uses male and female stamps and these create the distinct raised designs that can be found on these plates. After the embossing process, you can then choose to have these plates painted to make them more eye-catching.
Engraving – not necessarily the opposite of embossing (since the opposite of embossing is debossing), but it can be considered a reverse-kind of marking from embossing since these do not necessarily produce raised characters and designs, but rather produces recessed ones. This particular marking method can produce raised designs too, and this is by gouging out the surrounding areas instead of the design itself. The more common choice however when engraving is chosen is recessed designs and raised surroundings.
Etching – similar to engraving in the sense that when the designs are made, the result is recessed areas that show the design of the plate. This is made using a different medium however, with engraving using a machine that removes the metal to create the recessed parts, while etching uses acid. The acid or mordant used to create the designs on these plates eats into the bare metal, and the protected parts (which are covered with an acid resistant substance like wax) remain untouched.
Digital Printing – if you do not like raised or recessed parts to be on your decorative trim plates, then you can opt for digital printing. This can create rather intricate designs on your metal nameplates, and this can come in numerous colors. You can create really colorful and vibrant decorative metal plates this way.
Photosensitizing – this is a method that is used on anodized aluminum, and this produces a photograph-like quality to the print (as the name implies). Some people know this as metal photo, while others call these photosensitive plates. Whatever the name may be, these are produced with the use of colored dies that are imbedded into the metal, then this is protected with anodization (hence the use of anodized aluminum for such metal plates).
Stonewear Process – this is a rather durable printing method that uses baked on copy, which is then covered with a protective clear coating. This can make very colorful and detailed tags which can last a long time, due to the protective coat and the baking on of the design onto the plate.