Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1482193
8 2 G R A P H I C S P R O • N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M LASER ENGRAVING REPORT we purchase 12" wide rolls of double- sided tape from Bron Tape. A roll of tape is mounted on our laminator, as you would with a roll of laminate, and it's fed through the roll where we apply the tape to the backs of 12" × 24" sheets of blank engraving material. Sometimes we'll get large orders of plates at once, which need to be produced quickly — having stacks of engraving material pre-taped speeds up the whole process. Once the plates are engraved, and the edges of each tag are scored, we snap the completed plate and then run our knife through a stack to finish cut- ting through the tape to cut them apart. NICHE While solar tags and map plates make up a significant portion of the laser engrav- ing we do, there are other products we also offer. e key for us is to create products and services that meet the needs of our primary business, which is other busi- nesses, instead of catering to individuals. It's also essential that with whatever prod- ucts we offer, we're pushing for efficiency – bulk orders, creating and using custom jigs for holding multiple products, and finishing techniques to speed the process. Yeti mugs or wholesale drinkware we order from our suppliers are common products we laser engrave and sell in larger batches. Setting up a custom logo or name for a project and then only engraving one item makes it difficult to compete with your pricing while still making a profit. If you can create the artwork, charge a fair price to cover your time, then engrave multiple items, you can spread the setup cost out over the entire order. You can purchase jigs for specific prod- ucts or create your own, but utilizing these templates to hold multiple products adds to your efficiency and profits. We also use a rotary attachment for curved products, Precision 123 Blocks for holding down thinner materials, and CerMark spray for engraving stainless steel products. Each of these items speeds up or improves our laser engraving. ADA/Braille signs are another prod- uct we offer. We use the laser engraver When we do personalized products, we focus on our corporate accounts that typically order larger batches at a time.