Hello I am about to purchase some aluminum plate for engraving, and would like to know if there are any better alloys to choose with engraving in mind?

thanks
~Steve

I would like to know, too. Is there any way to tell the alloy of a unmarked plate?

Hey guys,
Don't know about the engraving part but if the end product is to be anodisied then the less additives in the alloy the better. These can cause issues during the anodising and cause an uneven finish and blotchie results. Whenever we machine the stuff we run fast with lots of coolant and for some reason HSS cutters don't grab as much as tungsten.
Boothie

Hello I am about to purchase some aluminum plate for engraving, and would like to know if there are any better alloys to choose with engraving in mind?

thanks
~Steve

I'd say the easiest would be 6061-T6. It cuts nice and the Surface Finishes are excellent.

I'd say the easiest would be 6061-T6. It cuts nice and the Surface Finishes are excellent.

Yes, this is the case. We have a few parts that have text engraved and it comes out very nice. 6061 also anodises very nicely and can be dyed a great variety of colors. One technique we use is to machine the basic shape then anodize and engrave after anodizing. The result is a nice visible text like the picture.

Yes, this is the case. We have a few parts that have text engraved and it comes out very nice. 6061 also anodises very nicely and can be dyed a great variety of colors. One technique we use is to machine the basic shape then anodize and engrave after anodizing. The result is a nice visible text like the picture.

Geof,

What Brand of Engraving tool are you using, a Melin Conical Blank 30 Degree Included Angle, or a 60 Degree Mill Drill 2 to 4 Flute???

Geof,

What Brand of Engraving tool are you using, a Melin Conical Blank 30 Degree Included Angle, or a 60 Degree Mill Drill 2 to 4 Flute???

It is just a 1/8" dia., 90 degree spot drill running at 10,000rpm and I think on those plates 100ipm. The 1.000 refers to the diameter of the semicircle to give you a sense of scale.

It is just a 1/8" dia., 90 degree spot drill running at 10,000rpm and I think on those plates 100ipm. The 1.000 refers to the diameter of the semicircle to give you a sense of scale.

What do you recommend for Engraving 316L Stainless?

What do you recommend for Engraving 316L Stainless?

Let somebody else do it :) .

I detest working with stainless, getting lazy in my old age I guess. I expect trying to engraving might be difficult, the adage take a deep cut and get under the work hardened surface hardly applies.

You are going to have to experiment.

Let somebody else do it :) .

I detest working with stainless, getting lazy in my old age I guess. I expect trying to engraving might be difficult, the adage take a deep cut and get under the work hardened surface hardly applies.

You are going to have to experiment.

Yea, breaking tool tips comes to mind LOL. I will be trying a Mill Drill 60 Degree Point 4 Flute Carbide Coated TiAlN. Some how breaking the skin will be difficult because the depth of cut will be .005. Maybe I'll Engrave a Surface with plus .035 , then try a Finish Ball Mill, and a Spring pass on the engraving. That tool tip is going to suffer some dulling, LOL.

Any other ideas Geof???

....Any other ideas Geof???

The only other idea I have is a bit far out; diamond bit at a very high rpm. I have no real idea whether it would work but I would probablt be tempted to try it as a last resort.

The only other idea I have is a bit far out; diamond bit at a very high rpm. I have no real idea whether it would work but I would probablt be tempted to try it as a last resort.

I think your on to something with that idea;) , but wouldn't a Diamond Chip in 316L SS??? What do you mean as far as RPM, like 10,000 or 20,000???

I think your on to something with that idea;) , but wouldn't a Diamond Chip in 316L SS??? What do you mean as far as RPM, like 10,000 or 20,000???

Note I said try, I have no idea if it would work. The approach would be to have a high rpm, maybe even the 20000, and a not so high feed so the chip would have a minuscule thickness.

If you are only going .005 deep, why could you not simply score it with something like a single point dressing diamond? Sounds like something I would try, although I can't say I have done it before...

Scott

If you are only going .005 deep, why could you not simply score it with something like a single point dressing diamond? Sounds like something I would try, although I can't say I have done it before...

Scott

These are some good ideas that I'll have to try. For right now I think this company is going with some kind of Laser Engraver.

I just wanted to bounce the idea off a few others before looking like an idiot in front of the Director of Manufacturing. That would be Bad, LOL.

Use a New Hermes type diamond tip, don't turne it, use it as a drag pin, I use one in a New Hermes to sign my knives that are made of ATS 34 ss 57 to 60 RC. also use it on 6061 brass bronz or what ever, if it is not as deep as you want make more than one pass. My brother made a spring loaded holder for his cnc and it works for him.

Use a New Hermes type diamond tip, don't turne it, use it as a drag pin, I use one in a New Hermes to sign my knives that are made of ATS 34 ss 57 to 60 RC. also use it on 6061 brass bronz or what ever, if it is not as deep as you want make more than one pass. My brother made a spring loaded holder for his cnc and it works for him.

This is a strong consideration. Thanks Hot Knobs:rainfro:

a simple 1/32 or 1/16 ballnose would be sufficient on ss with only a .005 depth of cut

a simple 1/32 or 1/16 ballnose would be sufficient on ss with only a .005 depth of cut

The cut would be a little wide though. A 3/16D 30 Degree Conical Blank has a .015 Radial Tip.

I was planning on doing something like this with Fine Detail in Stainless. What if I used 303SS instead of 316L????

That might resolve some of the engraving issues.

what about using a 90 deg carb spot drill ,or a d bit

what about using a 90 deg carb spot drill ,or a d bit


I was thinking about the Melin 1/4D 4 Flute 60 degree included angle but the tip is flat, and the diameter is .02. If the cut is too deep you will remove a significant amount of detail.

Here is the DXF of the Detail that I want to make. You will see how fine it is.

i would think that it wouldn t be necessary to go deeper than .003 on something that small , .003 will still show up quite well

i would think that it wouldn t be necessary to go deeper than .003 on something that small , .003 will still show up quite well

It is set at Z-.002 in the program, but the geometry is so close in some areas that a .015 Radius will over cut into the line next to it. I am considering regrinding the tool to a sharper point then stoning a .005 Nose Radius. The problem is that that tip will most likely chip on the first cut even with a slow feed rate like .05 IPM. This detail will be painted too. So the finish isn't important, just the detail itself.

This will be going on a Show Car, 1989 Pontiac GTA. Two on the Sail Panels and one on the Nose. They will be Polished with a Satin Finish and the detail painted Dark Blue.

These have to be as perfect as possible.

In the last contest a guy was in third place and knocked down to 15th because is a tiny bit of wax that was left around the rear quarter panel. I thought that was funny LOL.:)

.... They will be Polished with a Satin Finish and the detail painted Dark Blue.

These have to be as perfect as possible.....

Are you still in the design stage?

Possibly you could consider aluminum, 7075 possibly, but what you need is something that machines really well and anodizes really well.

You machine your top surface maybe 0.005" too high and then engrave using a 60 degree engraving bit to a depth of 0.010"

Now you get it anodized dark blue. You know blue is possible because I posted a blue anodized piece and it is possible to get darker than that.

Then put the anodized piece back in the machine and finish off the top surface leaving the engraving still dark blue.

Now you have a choice; you could do the satin finish and then clear anodize or you could get it etched and anodized but I don't know how good that would be.

If you are getting your satin finish by bead blasting what might be possible is to coat the part after anodizing but before the final machining with plastic that can be readily dissolved. Then machine, bead blast for the satin, wash off the plastic which has protected the blue engraving during the blasting and get a final clear anodize.

Obviously you will need to deal with a good anodizer.

Are you still in the design stage?

Possibly you could consider aluminum, 7075 possibly, but what you need is something that machines really well and anodizes really well.

You machine your top surface maybe 0.005" too high and then engrave using a 60 degree engraving bit to a depth of 0.010"

Now you get it anodized dark blue. You know blue is possible because I posted a blue anodized piece and it is possible to get darker than that.

Then put the anodized piece back in the machine and finish off the top surface leaving the engraving still dark blue.

Now you have a choice; you could do the satin finish and then clear anodize or you could get it etched and anodized but I don't know how good that would be.

If you are getting your satin finish by bead blasting what might be possible is to coat the part after anodizing but before the final machining with plastic that can be readily dissolved. Then machine, bead blast for the satin, wash off the plastic which has protected the blue engraving during the blasting and get a final clear anodize.

Obviously you will need to deal with a good anodizer.

This is a good.

The Satin Finish and Stainless Color are part of the Theme with this car. Clear coating will definitely be done, but the painted detail (customer specific) has to be painted Dark Blue. The ones he is replacing where Anodized before and he didn't like it. I wish there were pictures I could show, but this car hasn't been shown to the public yet. The owner doesn't want anyone stealing his ideas if you know what I mean. These guys are obsessed with their autos LOL.

To give you an idea of the competition here is a website fro you to look through.

http://www.timemachinesinc.com/

These are 100% Custom Cars that Auction for hundreds of thousands.