Steel Marking Tools

General Marking Guidelines: Character Faces, Character Size and Spacing

Schmidt's steel marking tools are available in one of the following five faces.

Sharp Face: Sharp face characters use a sharp edge where the tool comes in contact with the part. A sharp face tool penetrates more easily than other styles.

 

Flat Face: Flat face characters are used in order to produce a wider impression. This face is often used on brass or other nonferrous metals or when the impression is to be color-filled.

 

Aerocut Engraving: The Aerocut engraved face produces a specially designed rounded face for marking impressions with minimum stress at the point of contact.

 

Outline Characters: These have two sharp face lines to produce the double line impression of an outline character. This style is often used to emphasize trade names or designs.

 

Aerocut Dot: These faces have specially rounded interrupted faces for the lowest possible stress. They are recommended for high pressure fittings, aircraft and other parts where sharp tools might disturb the molecular structure of the metal.

 

Character Size and Spacing

Indented Characters: The character size should be determined by measuring the face of the tool, as indicated in the character sketches above. Sharp Face and Aerocut tools are measured at the apex of the engraved face. Flat Face and Outline style characters are measured to the outside edge or overall dimension of the engraved face.

Embossed Characters: These are the exception and are measured from the impression rather than the face of the die. The size is determined by the height of the impression at the point where the raised portion meets the background.

Debossed Characters: The size of a debossed character is measured at the point where the bevel of the male die meets the background.

 

 

Standard Type Spacing: Is easily determined. The blank is the same as the character size multiplied by the total number of characters in the reading. (i.e. If a 1/16" character is used, and eight character word will be 1/2" long.) Condensed and extended style characters will decrease and increase these measurements respectively.

Straight Logotype Spacing: This spacing is determined in the same manner as the standard type spacing Each character occupies an amount of space equal to the character size.

Knurl Logotype Spacing: This is engraved in multiples of characters as above, except that a space equal to one half a character is added before and after the reading. Thus the knurl logotype blank is one character longer than a straight logotype with the same reading. There is a natural tendency to select a larger character size than required with the result that the die may be too long for the marking area or tonnage requirements may be increased unnecessarily. Where there is a specific requirement, logotype, dies or type can be engraved either extended for a large area or condensed to permit stamping the legend in a confined area.

General Marking Guidelines

 

Extra Deep Engraving: Required when material is removed from a
part after marking and an abnormally deep mark is required. Branding dies
are engraved extra deep and with a flat face so the background of the hot
die will not touch the material.

Controlled Depth Engraving: In some applications, engraving may
be shallower than standard depth. Trademarks and other lettering layouts
are often irregular, which can result in an uneven impression. By engraving
all characters and border lines somewhat shallower, the die can “bottom”
(that means the die will penetrate to the background so that the whole mark
is uniformly deep.

Bevels. The angle or bevel of the sides of engraved characters can be
variable depending on the specific application. However, most dies for
marking mild steel are engraved with 45 degree bevels. Branding or
embossing tools are cut with straighter sides and flat faces. Heavier bevels
and extra deep engraving are sometimes specified for particularly tough
marking jobs.

Pressure Requirements for Marking

In order to estimate total marking pressure, multiply the single character tonnage by the number of characters to be marked.

Pressure to mark one character* (in tons).

Character Size	Mild Steel	Soft Aluminum	Tool Steel	Character Depth
1/16”	0.25	0.15	0.38	.003”
3/32”	0.05	0.3	0.75	.004”
1/8”	0.75	0.45	1.13	.006”
5/32”	1	0.6	1.5	.007”
3/16”	1.88	1.13	2.82	.008”
1/4”	2.1	1.26	3.15	.010”
5/16”	3	1.8	4.5	.013”
3/8”	4	2.4	6	.016”
7/16”	4.75	2.85	7.13	.016”
1/2”	5.7	3.42	8.55	.017”
5/8”	7.5	4.5	11.25	.020”
3/4”	9.25	5.55	13.88	.020”
7/8”	11	6.6	16.5	.020”
1”	13	7.8	19.5	.020”

 

*These are pressures for Sharp Face characters. In order to estimate marking pressure requirements, multiply the single character tonnage found above by the number of characters to be marked. To mark half depth, multiply tonnage requirement by 0.75; to mark two times the depth, multiply the tonnage requirements by 1.33; to mark three times the depth, multiply tonnage requirement by 1.7.

Schmidt's standard procedure for stating blank dimensions on all type and dies.
Click here to view a larger image of these dimensions.

	Straight Step Type L = length W = width H = height Hs = height from step to bottom of die D = depth of step Wb = overall width of blank (L x W x H) step: (Hsx D)		Straight Groove Type L = length W = width H = height Hg = height from middle of groove to bottom of die Wg = width of groove D = depth of groove (L x W x H) groove: (Hg x Wg x D
	Knurl Groove Type L = length W = width H = height Hg = height from middle of groove to bottom of die Wg = width of groove D = depth of groove A = angle (L x W x H) groove: (Hg x Wg x D angle: A)		Knurl Step Type L = length W = width H = height Hs = height from step to bottom of die D = depth of step Wb = overall width of blank A = angle (L x W x H) step: Hs x D angle: A)
	Shank Style Round Die L = length of body D = diameter of body Ls = length of shank Ds = diameter of shank (D x L) shank: (Ds x Ls)		Lettering Knurl (Round Die) D = diameter W = width Db = diameter of bore K = width of keyway K/2 = depth of keyway (D x W x Db x K x K/2)
	Shank Style Rectangular L = length of die W = width of die H = height of die Ds = diameter of shank Ls = length of shank (L x W x H) shank: (Ds x Ls)

 

Schmidt Marking Systems has been manufacturing steel marking tools since 1895. Our engineering, quality and craftsmanship has provided our customers with the very best in direct part marking tools, fixtures, and machines for over a century. With our CAD/CAM systems, CNC machinery, and highly skilled employees, we have the ability to provide the quality and service required for your steel marking tool needs.

Steel Marking Tools Guide Catalog This catalog discusses our full line of steel marking tools, type holders and fixtures. It also covers general marking guidelines, pressure requirements and our standard code & design chart. Click brochure image to view, download or print. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader here for free.