Sign making - Useful tips and tricks

Depending on the material used and the price the customer is prepared to pay, there are numerous ways to produce creative and informative signs with the laser. In this tips and tricks guide we will show you how to create different signs using your laser machine.

Easy engraving

When producing signage, the quickest and easiest way is a simple laser engraving process in which the top layer of the material is ablated, exposing the carrier layer. Below you can see a comparison between a lawyer's sign made from backfilled TroGlass Reverse acrylic on the left, and one made of TroLase Metallic engraving laminate on the right. You can also see a comparrison of the same sign made of solid wood on the left and of anodised aluminium on the right.

One material – several colours:
Easy laser engraving on materials

Plastic plates with multiple coloured layers are particularly suitable for processing. You can find more details in the Tips and Tricks for processing of our engraving materials.

Light and dark laser engraving effects:
Easy engraving on wood

Wood is an excellent material for sign-making. Various parameter settings can be used which will create light and dark laser engraving effects. To find the right laser parameters you can use our grayscale matrix to test the laser engraving results on woods.

Sign made of acrylic and plastic laminates

Exterior signage
Easy engraving on anodised aluminium

Anodised aluminium is a material which is highly suitable for laser engraving, and can be used for both interior and exterior signage. What's more, anodised aluminium can be laser engraved using either a fiber laser or a CO2 machine thanks to its protective anodised coating, negating the need for additional marking consumables.

3D effect by combining different materials

By using different materials in one sign, a variety of values can be generated from the same graphic. This creates great 3D effects that enhance the sign. The signs are laser-produced in an instant and require little or no post-processing.

Engraving with simple applications

Setting colour accents

To further enhance a plain engraved sign, colour accents can be added by glueing on elements, for example made of TroLase ADA or other materials. This allows you to combine several colours in one sign and create great 3D effects.

Annealing marking:
Processing with the fiber laser

Depending on customer requirements, the processing can be carried out with the fiber laser as well. In this manner, metal signs can be provided with an annealing engraving, giving them an even more classy appearance. Caution: thin plates of stainless steel (approx. 1 mm) may warp or bulge due to the heat during annealing. Therefore, avoid engraving large areas.

Multi-layer signs

For even more complex and interesting applications, several layers of various materials can be combined. For multi-layer signs, the individual elements of different sizes are glued to one another in a staggered arrangement. Our samples illustrate the great possibilities and 3D effects resulting from this.

For easier and faster production of multi-layer signs, plates with double-sided adhesive film are well suited. Please make sure that adhesive materials do not protrude beyond the layer below. If you cannot use plates with adhesive film, we recommend using adhesive tape or adhesives suitable for the material, to be applied manually.

Detailed instructions for creating multi-layer signs can be found here:

DIY Laser Sample