Engraving Overview

Engraving is a method of etching letters or a design into plastic, metal, wood, acrylic or glass. This can be done using a pantograph, rotary or laser engraver.

The early piece of equipment used in the engraving industry was called a pantograph. It would engrave letters in a sheet of multi-colored plastic. As you traced the master letters, the machine would engrave the message in the plastic. exposing the core contrasting color. The engraved letters were just like the masters, only smaller.

As this was a slow laborious method of engraving a computerized piece of equipment was developed. Through the use of a computer, graphics were able to be incorporated along with text and signage became much more creative.

About ten years ago a laser was also developed for the engraving industry. This opened up even greater creative opportunities. Today using the laser and gray scale we can create images that appear to be photographs. And these images can be etched into many different surfaces, some of them using the two ply plastic but also using metal, wood, glass and acrylic. Signage and awards have reached a pinnacle in creativity.

Click here for information about engraving products carried by Johnson Plastics.

Every Johnson Plastics warehouse stocks literally thousands of engraving products and supplies. Visit our online catalog for more details.