A 3-Step Guide To Having A Sign Laser-Cut For Your Business

Whether you run a small corner shop or a sprawling multi-national conglomerate, your business needs some clear and attractive signage to entice customers and achieve the brand recognition you desire. There are many ways to have signs for businesses made, but one of the most convenient and versatile is laser cutting -- using high-tech cutters armed with beams of powerful and incredibly precise light, laser cutting services can cut and engrave a practically limitless number of sign designs, ranging from small door signs to large banners made from shop frontages. By following a simple, three-step process, you and your business can get your hands on some truly distinctive signage quickly (and surprisingly cheaply):

Step 1: Design your sign

Designing a sign for laser cutting is a relatively simple process, but a simple doodle etched on the back of a beer mat won't do. Instead, you will need to come up with a vector drawing or line diagram (depending on the cutting service you choose) precise enough for the cutting laser to follow and replicate in three dimensions.

Ideally, you will have in-house designers capable of creating these drawings, but outsourcing to a design company is always a reasonable option—and a cheap one if you shop around. Alternatively, some laser cutting services have their own design teams capable of turning your sign ideas into a solid template for cutting, while some even offer free software which allows you to create vector drawings easily yourself.

Step 2: Choose your materials

In the early days of laser cutting, your choice of sign materials was somewhat limited, but modern technology has opened up a vast array of sign materials now eminently suited to laser-cut sign manufacture. Some commonly chosen materials include:

Metals: Usually sprung or stainless steel, a laser-cut metal sign is the gold standard when it comes to durability and longevity. Bear in mind that metals suitable for laser cutting have to be quite thin, so don't choose this option for a sign likely to become dented or deformed.

Wood: An excellent choice for adding some organic, traditional charm to your business, a wide variety of woods can be used with laser cutters. Wood is also an excellent candidate if you want engraved designs on your sign, particularly pale woods that show engravings in stark relief.

Plastics: Plastic signs are ideal for outdoor locations likely to take a hammering from the weather. Plastics containing chlorine are not suitable for laser cutting, so check with your supplier, or ask the laser cutting service if they possess stocks of suitable plastics. Two-tone acrylic plastics are a very popular choice, as engraved sections of the plastic reveal the contrasting colours help within the acrylic sheets.

Step 3: Get cutting

Once your design has been finalised and materials have been chosen, the cutting process can begin. Naturally, you should get a thorough price quote from the service you choose before work begins, and you should also obtain an estimate of when the work will be finished. At this point, you can also decide how the sign(s) will be transported to your business, as some laser cutting services will also deliver your signs for an added fee. For more information, contact a company like Australian General Engineering.