Custom Engraving Services
Custom Engraving Services and Sublimation - Behind the Scenes at Twin City Trophies & Recognition.
You may be surprised to learn that there is more than one approach to engraving. At Twin City Trophies, we use two different engraving options - each with specific advantages depending on the material you need.
What are the two types of Engraving and what is Sublimation?
Rotary Diamond Tip Engraving is the older, more original form of impression that we offer. Exclusively for metal materials, Diamond Tip Engraving is exactly what it sounds like - high pressure applied through a diamond tip which etches a design onto a piece of metal. Since diamond is an extraordinarily hard substance, this type of engraving is extremely precise, creating a neat professional quality product.
Diamond Tip Engraving is popular for all sorts of metal pieces. It is very commonly used for etching into trophies, the back of watches, lockets, jewelry, and pewter mugs. We also offer etching on unique products such as tools and flasks.
Laser Engraving is a state-of-the-art advanced form of engraving. Going beyond the simple and classic diamond tip engraving, laser engraving can give your pieces a specialized modern look. Far more versatile than Diamond Tip, Laser Engraving allows for a wide variety of style. Using intense heat, the laser removes the top layer of the plate or substrate - creating a colour contrast between the two layers. Most metals reveal a black, gold or silver layer, while plastics usually reveal either white or black, but other colours are available. Just a few of the many examples of products created through Laser Engraving are: trophies, plaques, name tags, USB sticks, pens, and glass.
Another interesting use for Laser Engraving is the actual alterations of material shapes. We can use our laser to cut many different types of material (including wood, plexi-glass, plastic, leather, and vinyl) into simple or intricate shapes.
Dye Sublimation is one of the newest technological methods available for placing logos and artwork on a wide variety of items and materials. Sublimation is the process of transferring special inks to special paper which is then "sublimated" onto a specially treated surface using heat and pressure. The heat and pressure actually create a gas, which transfers right through the specially treated surface. Because of this, you cannot feel any texture on the finished product's surface. This process is permanent, scratch resistant, and very clean looking.
Because of sublimation, logos can now be transferred in full colour. Some of the items we make using sublimation include metal name tags (available on gold, silver and white metals), a full range of plaques, acrylic shapes, some glass, mouse pads, coasters, coffee mugs. Sublimation lends itself well to small detailed runs for commercial and private use. We can make beautiful one of a kind personal gifts for any occasion using your personal photos. A full range of items are available to view in our fully stocked showroom.
We hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes peek at the Engraving and Sublimation process, and that you learned something new!