Printing on metal?

[Whiskeymike]

Might be an odd question, but does anyone know what methods can be used for printing on metal? Specifically steel, but interested in any metal.

I'm curious as I'm working on a plasma cutting straight edge and I think it would be great to print a rough ruler onto the guide. I was also thinking that it would be cool to print a grid onto the top of my welding table for roughly laying something out to get the pieces in position before measuring exactly and squaring up. I know I could use a mask/stencil and spray paint. But I figured that there might be a better more durable process using ink, screen printing, or some other method.

How is this done when manufacturing?

Worst case, I'll attach a steel rule to the guide, but it seemed like an interesting topic.

 

[Willie Makeit]

google: laser marking

 

[SilverSS1969]

If it where me, I put it in one of our mills at work and engrave it on the metal guide.

Could also look into companies that are local to you to have it acid etched into the metal. We had a company out giving us a demmastrasion on the acid etch. It looked and worked great but was more then we wanted to spend to mark our parts.

 

[tiggi]

It's not printing on metal but you can print on clear vinyl paper or sticker paper and stick it on there. Also you can do water transfer paper.

 

[rsanter]

Sandblasting
Laser marking
Acid etching ( look up the acid marking pens)
Engraving
Milling
Drill a grid of small holes ( like graph paper kind of)
Thin cutoff blade (cut to shallow depth)

Bob

 

[dogdog]

maybe you can try this ghetto method with masking tape and vinegar. seems to worked well on knifes... always wanted to try it.

but why ? don't they make cheap 4ft 8ft straight edges already have a ruler on them?

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Laser engraving would require you to take the table top or tools to a site that has an engraver large enough to fit it in, and be 100W or more. Not cheap.

I think acid etching or even sand blasting would be a much more economic and simpler solution you can do yourself on site.

 

[gte718p]

If you have a plasma or router table it woul not be that difficult to mount an ink jet printer and make an ink jet printer out of it. Any engraver program with a little tweeking should be able to control it.

I don't know that I've seen it done, but thinkign through it it is not that difficult of a project Might be a fun project when I get home. It would be great for doing sheet metal layouts.

 

[zhaddock]

Screen printing is the easiest most durable way to do it. A tee shirt shop wont be able to do it because they print with plastisol ink and the metal will need to be printed with enamel ink. However, they might agree to it if you buy the ink.

 

[toplessHO]

I have a pad printer that does that but the biggest pad I have is only 12 in long.
these are great for irregular shapes.consider printing on a dimpled golf ball.Get a sign shop to make the markings,transfer over then clear coat to keep the wear down

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Put yer markin's down with a scratch awl is the cheapest, 'n easiest, that'll last the longest,....

 

[ishiboo]

Screen printing is the easiest most durable way to do it. A tee shirt shop wont be able to do it because they print with plastisol ink and the metal will need to be printed with enamel ink. However, they might agree to it if you buy the ink.

Screen printing would be the easiest for regular "printing", but durability on a plasma cutter guide I think would involve a mechanical process, not plastic ink.

I think for this a mechanical means is the way to go, milled being the most durable as you could have deep lines.

Same for the welding table... moving steel across it, welding, etc. will make the screen printed stuff disappear in no time.

 

[steel 35]

Find your local cnc engraver till your is set up.

 

[Bobhdus]

When laying out plumb/ chalk line on concrete to locate a machine for anchoring we would often have to redo because the chalk line would disappear due to foot traffic so, then we would lay down the lines of chalk and then spray some kind of polyurethane or clearcoat paint over it. Never had that problem again. It works for steel too. Make your marks then use multiple coats of clearcoat over the marks.

 

[thanatos]

Why not just use this?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004071UG2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mrolds88]

Etched some pc boards once. Used a laser jet printer to print off what I needed (flipped the drawing) and then used an iron to transfer the ink onto the board. Might work for what you want.

 

[fnieto]

When laying out plumb/ chalk line on concrete to locate a machine for anchoring we would often have to redo because the chalk line would disappear due to foot traffic so, then we would lay down the lines of chalk and then spray some kind of polyurethane or clearcoat paint over it. Never had that problem again. It works for steel too. Make your marks then use multiple coats of clearcoat over the marks.

When snapping chalk lines on concrete for layout (tile) or concrete sawing, I spray the lines with simple hair spray to prevent erasing. If your laying out a large project you will be able to mop up the lines.

CNC machines can run pneumatic engravers to print graphics on steel. They are expensive but permanent. Torchmate's web site might still have a video for viewing.

 

[Bigplum]

Get some cheap tape measures and epoxy them down on the table ,
Printing might introduce dimension errors unless it's really worked out