Bring/send us your own material for engraving! We're happy to rush jobs when needed, too. We reserve the right to adjust pricing based on the difficulty of engraving and can also help source materials if you describe what you're looking for. We'll contact you to confirm that all the details are correct.

During mechanical engraving, the workpiece is clamped down while a milling cutter glides across the surface. Material is removed by the rotary motion of the milling cutter. Different shapes can be milled out of most material. Layered plastic materials can be engraved in this way as well as metal surfaces, which allow for increased contrast by adding color to the deep machined lettering or decorations.

Rotary engraving is a popular method for engraving a wide range of materials. These engraving machines use specialized carbide bits to achieve precise depths in a variety of materials. Rotary engraving provides a clean and smooth engraved mark.

There are some limitations associated with the rotary engraving method. First, rotary engraving systems typically require vector based files (line art) to create an engraving path for the machine to follow. This means rotary engravers are largely used for text and basic shapes with limited fonts. A second limitation of rotary engraving is the pressure or stress that can be put on an item when engraved.  This usually means an item that is to be engraved such as a handheld radio needs to be clamped in place to allow the machine to engrave. This also requires the engraver to press down on the item to achieve the proper depth. This can cause stress on the material leading to cracking or an uneven mark.

However, rotary engravers do have some advantages over their laser counterparts. For one, rotary engravers do a great job of producing smooth and deep finishes needed for paint filling metals or plastics. Fume extraction is another plus, as these engravers have no odor and pose no risk of fire or gas release. Engraving material is also an area where rotary engravers excel, as this family of engravers does not require special plastics or acrylics and can engrave into almost any surface. Rotary systems often operate with materials that are less expensive and easier to process, and can engrave simple characters into plastics faster than laser machines.