Text or graphics onto metal project enclosure faceplate

[Dipski]

Hi guys, just a quick one - whenever I look at projects in the electronics magazines many of them have text, color or graphics on the metal faceplate of the enclosure. I thought hey that would be great to have on my project but I can't seem to find out how it's done, can anyone help?

[andtfoot]

There are a few ideas here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/custom-logo%27s-(etc)-on-a-metal-enclosure/

If I can't engrave it with my CNC router, I normally print out stuff on transparency paper and glue it on.

Edit: I also have a label printer that I use if it's a personal project that requires more function than form.

[Dipski]

Thanks for the quick reply! Etching looks amazing, but the label printer does look good and easy enough to do.

Is the transparency paper you use the same type of material they use for overhead projector transparencies, the thick-ish clear plastic sheet you can print on with a laser printer?

[andtfoot]

Is the transparency paper you use the same type of material they use for overhead projector transparencies, the thick-ish clear plastic sheet you can print on with a laser printer?

Yep, that's the one. I print it flipped and place it back-to-front so I get a glossy surface on the outside.

[robrenz]

This video covers making the graphic overlay on this meter. Be patient it gets to the overlay part.


This video covers getting a sticky graphic on without getting into trouble

[ovnr]

Only partially related, but wanted to put it here anyway:

If you need a durable surface that'll withstand a fair bit of abuse (think touch controls, etc), I've had fairly good luck with printing a reversed image onto a transparency sheet (laser printer), then spraypainting the back with white - or whatever background color you'd like - paint. This puts the entire thickness of the transparency sheet between the hostile outside world and your text, as opposed to surface-printed text. If your printer gives even results, you can even do inverted colors (black background and white/colored text). You can also add clear areas for displays and LEDs by masking the sheet before painting it.

Then just stick it on with a thin double-sided tape. I quite like 3M's adhesive transfer tapes (narrow roll sheet - this is 60µM stuff, they also make thicker 130µM tapes that also work well for rougher surfaces).