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ROTARY ENGRAVING & ACID ETCHED PLATES

Planet Engraving offers custom rotary engraving and acid etched plates for nameplates, tags, compliance labels, control panel signage and more. Rotary engraving is done in-house on our own equipment, giving you crisp, precise text and logos on traffolyte and metal. Acid etched plates give you a permanently marked, paint-filled finish on stainless steel, brass, and aluminium that's built to withstand harsh conditions, with a rough turnaround of around 30 days. Every plate is made to your specifications and delivered ready to install — anywhere in Australia.

Rotary Engraved Control Plate
Acid Etched Compliance Plate

WHAT IS ROTARY ENGRAVING?

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Rotary engraving uses a rotating cutting tool to mechanically cut text, logos and graphics into the surface of a material — most commonly two-tone traffolyte, but also brass, aluminium and other metals. The cutting tool removes a thin layer of the top surface to reveal a contrasting colour underneath, giving you sharp, clean, permanent lettering. It's a fast, cost-effective process, ideal for switch labels, control panel labels, name badges and identification plates where you need crisp text and reliable turnaround.

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WHAT IS ACID ETCHING?

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Acid etching (also called chemical etching) is a precision process where metal is chemically eaten away to leave a permanent, recessed engraving. Because the etch has real depth, it can be paint filled in any colour for a bold, high-contrast finish that stands up to harsh conditions — marine environments, mining sites, outdoor exposure and heavy industrial use. It's used on stainless steel, brass, copper and aluminium, and is a traditional, highly durable choice for nameplates, compliance plates, equipment labels and tags where longevity matters.

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Acid Etch Data Plate
Rotary Engraved Data Plate

OUR ROTARY ENGRAVING & ACID ETCHING SERVICE

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Whichever process suits your job, every plate is made to your text, logo and layout, in the material, size and finish you need.

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Our service covers:

  • Rotary engraved traffolyte, brass and aluminium plates and labels

  • Acid etched stainless steel, brass, copper and aluminium plates

  • Custom text, logos and graphics

  • Paint-filled etching in a range of colours

  • A range of plate sizes, thicknesses and finishes

  • Single one-off plates through to bulk production runs

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Send us your text, logo and the sizes you need, and we'll quote your job and get it made.

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COMMON USES FOR ROTARY ENGRAVED & ACID ETCHED PLATES

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  • Industrial and compliance — compliance plates, data plates, equipment and machinery nameplates

  • Control panels and switchgear — switch labels, control panel labels, isolation and warning labels

  • Identification — asset tags, valve tags, cable tags, serial number plates

  • Signage — building directories, room and door signage, wayfinding

  • Marine and outdoor — nameplates and tags built to withstand harsh, corrosive environments

  • Automotive and mining — equipment ID plates and compliance labelling for demanding industries

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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What's the difference between rotary engraving and acid etching? Rotary engraving mechanically cuts text and graphics into two-tone traffolyte or metal for a crisp, fast, cost-effective result. Acid etching chemically etches metal to a real depth, which can then be paint filled in any colour — it's a more traditional process, well suited to plates that need to survive harsh or corrosive conditions long-term.

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What materials can be acid etched? Stainless steel, brass, copper and aluminium.

What materials can be rotary engraved? Traffolyte is the most common, along with brass, aluminium and other metals.

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Can the etching be filled with colour? Yes — acid etched plates can be paint filled in any colour for a bold, high-contrast finish.

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Do you deliver Australia-wide? Yes. We're based in Rutherford, NSW (Hunter Valley), and we deliver Australia-wide as well as to New Zealand.

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How long does it take? Rotary engraving can be completed in a few weeks — get in touch with your specs and we'll give you a lead time. Acid etched plates have a rough turnaround of around 30 days. Laser Engraving is always the fastest (1-2 days)

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