How can investment in new etching and engraving equipment help sign-makers expand their offering and create more distinctive, high-value applications? Rob Fletcher speaks to several key manufacturers and suppliers to find out more. MAKE AN IMPRESSION WITH ETCHING AND ENGRAVING Etching and engraving have long been established techniques within signmaking, offering signage professionals a way to produce durable, tactile, and distinctive graphics. From traditional plaques and nameplates to architectural and wayfinding signage, these processes continue to have a strong place in modern sign production. For sign-makers, one of the main draws is the ability to work across a range of materials and create finishes that stand out from more conventional printed applications. Engraved letters, etched graphics, and detailed decorative work can all add depth and permanence, while also opening up opportunities in areas such as architectural, interior, and specialist signage. As demand grows for more personalised, premium, and hard-wearing signs, manufacturers are continuing to develop new equipment, software, and materials. With technology making these processes more accessible, etching and engraving could offer businesses another way to broaden their capabilities and add value to their work. Here, SignLink gets the inside track on new developments within this sector. Applications Becoming More Diverse First up to comment is Thorsten Brandt, chief marketing officer of Eurolaser, who says one key trend is that cutting and engraving are increasingly becoming part of the same process. He explains that customers may want to contour-cut a large-format workpiece while also adding lettering, markings, or decorative elements within a single digital workflow. At the same time, he says applications are becoming more diverse, adding that it is no longer “just about traditional signage” but also large-format displays, decorative elements, and bespoke solutions for interiors and visual communication. This, Brandt says, is where laser technology offers possibilities, combining size, complex geometries, and individual designs within a single production system. “One of the main challenges in the print and sign industry is handling an increasingly diverse range of jobs while facing growing time and cost pressures,” he says, adding: “Advances in machine technology, software, and automation are helping to address exactly this. “In print-and-cut, for example, large, printed areas need to be processed both quickly and accurately. Modern camera systems can scan large areas at high speed, recognise the printed image, and enable precise contour cutting. For large-format applications, scanning speed has a direct impact on productivity.” Brandt flags material diversity as another challenge, setting out how not every material is suitable for laser processing. This, he says, is why Eurolaser combines laser technology with mechanical tools from Zünd and, depending on the application, users can choose between laser, knife, routing, or creasing tools. Leading on from this, Brandt says software also enables a higher degree of automation. He offers up the example of QR codes, highlighting how these can identify individual jobs and automatically assign the relevant cutting data, processETCHING AND ENGRAVING | ROB FLETCHER 52 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 267 - October | November 2026
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