Engraving Services
From sports day medals to corporate awards and thoughtful gifts, our FREE* state-of-the-art engraving services let you add a personal touch to your special event. Find out more about our specialist engraving services below.
Laser Engraving
What is laser engraving and how does it work?
Laser engraving is a high-tech method of etching or marking surfaces with exceptional accuracy. It is suitable for a wide range of materials, including glass, wood and metal. At Trophies Plus Medals, we use this technique for the majority of our surface engraved products such as engraved glass and crystal and wooden eco awards.
Your design template is loaded up on a computer, which then guides a powerful beam of light, known as a laser, to follow the specified path. As the laser beam makes contact with the surface, it generates intense heat, vaporising the material in its path. This controlled process results in the creation of a permanent, frosted finish, with your desired design or wording etched seamlessly into the surface.
Laser-engraved markings are renowned for their durability and resilience, standing strong against the tests of time and wear. Resistant to fading, scratching, and other forms of damage, laser-engraved awards retain their pristine appearance for years to come, serving as enduring testaments to achievement.
Sandblast Engraving
What is sanblasting and how does it work?
Sandblasting is an engraving technique that involves using the abrasive force of sand particles to etch designs onto the surface of your product. It is suitable for a wide range of materials, including glass, wood and metal. At Trophies Plus Medals, this is our preferred technique for engraving products with curved surfaces, such as crystal paperweights and drinking glasses.
First, your chosen design is transferred onto the product's surface as a UV stencil. Pressurised air then propels abrasive material onto your product’s surface. The areas not covered by the stencil are exposed to the abrasive particles, which leaves permanent frosted finish with the design or wording etched into the surface.
Sandblasting creates durable engravings by physically altering the surface of material, resulting in textured surfaces with deep and mechanically bonded engravings. These characteristics make sandblasted engravings resistant to wear, fading, and scratching, ensuring long-lasting aesthetically pleasing awards for years to come.
UV Printing
What is UV printing and how does it work?
UV Colour Printing is a cutting-edge printing technique that can be used for various materials such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal. The process involves using ultraviolet (UV) light to dry or cure ink as it is applied onto a surface.
Our state-of-the-art UV printing machines deposit specialised UV ink onto the surface of your award. As the ink is applied, UV lamps within the machine emit UV light, instantly curing the ink upon contact.
This rapid curing reaction ensures that the design remains permanently on the surface without any absorption into the material. The UV-cured ink forms a durable bond with the substrate, resulting in prints that are resistant to fading, scratching, and environmental damage.
UV printing offers unparalleled branding and customisation possibilities, allowing vibrant full-colour designs with high precision and crisp detail, even for intricate patterns. Unlike other techniques, it accommodates a broader spectrum of surfaces, including flat, textured, and curved surfaces without relying on heat for marking. This feature ensures compatibility with heat-sensitive materials, preventing damage during the marking process.
At Trophies Plus Medals, we take pride in our innovative approach to customisation. With our Colour Fusion glass awards, we apply the UV ink to the back of the glass, creating a stunning visual effect as the design reflects through the transparent surface of the glass.
Diamond Drag Engraving
What is diamond drag engraving and how does it work?
Diamond drag engraving is a method of engraving that involves using a diamond-tipped tool to physically etch a design onto a surface. This technique can be used on a variety of materials, including metal, glass, and acrylic. At Trophies Plus Medals, we use diamond drag engraving for the metal engraving plates featured on our trophies and medals with text engraving on the reverse.
Diamond drag engraving involves physical contact between a diamond-tipped tool and the award's surface. Your personalised wording is transferred to a computer which controls the process, enabling the diamond to engrave the text accurately. The diamond scratches the surface of the metal plate, creating fine, precise lines.
Unlike laser engraving, diamond drag engraving does not remove material from the surface. Instead, it displaces the material, creating a groove or indentation. The result is a subtle and elegant marking on the surface.
Fibre Laser Engraving
What is fibre engraving and how does it work?
Fibre engraving is a process that uses a high-powered fibre laser to etch surfaces with extreme precision. This technology is commonly used for engraving various materials such as metal, plastic, glass and wood. At Trophies Plus Medals, we use this innovative technique to offer fully metal custom medals featuring your own logo etched onto the surface.
The process involves a fibre laser beam directed onto the surface of the material, where it rapidly heats and vaporises a small portion of the material to create clean, crisp markings. The laser beam is controlled by a computer system, allowing for precise control over the engraving process and enabling the creation of intricate and detailed designs.
This technique offers several advantages over traditional engraving methods, including high precision, speed, and versatility. It is particularly well-suited for applications that require fine details, such as logo engraving and decorative etchings.
Unlike traditional diamond drag engraving, fibre engraving allows us to engrave highly detailed and intricate characters from various languages, including Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Greek, onto the metal engraving plates on our trophies. This inclusive feature allows greater personalisation flexibility and allows us to cater to a diverse array of cultural and linguistic needs.
*We provide free engraving and / or customised inserts across the majority of our product range, including all standard trophies and engraved glass / wooden awards.
While there may be extra charges for medal engraving and specialist engraving on our premium cups, these will always be clearly outlined on the product page.
Rest assured, we never charge any setup costs for personalisation.
Still need help?
Email: sales@trophiesplusmedals.co.uk
Phone: 01788 422 222
Or you can start a live chat via the pop-up in the bottom right of the page.