Are you thinking about getting something engraved? Regardless of whether you want to have a single item engraved for personal use, or a bulk order for your business – it is essential that you choose the right laser engraving service.
Not sure how to do that? Here are seven things that you should consider to make the best choice:
1. Materials
Although laser engraving can be used on a wide range of materials, some services may be able to engrave certain materials while others may not. Be sure to check that the services you’re looking at can engrave your materials – especially if the materials you want to engrave are more challenging and may release dangerous fumes.
2. Capabilities
Find out more about the capabilities of laser engraving services and what they can do. Look for services that can engrave with different depths, on curved surfaces, and that can carry out fine work.
If a service has such capabilities, it is a sign that their specialists are skilled and the engraving machines they use are advanced.
3. Experience
The experience of a laser engraving service can make a big difference in terms of the speed, efficiency, and final result. Check out how many years of experience and certifications they have, and be sure to look at samples of their past work too.
Try requesting samples of past work that are similar to your project – so you can see whether they’ll be able to complete it well.
4. Reviews
Online reviews and customer testimonials are an excellent way to corroborate the information you found on the experience and samples of a laser engraving service. Ideally the reviews should be mostly positive, and if they’re not then that’s normally a red flag.
5. Location
Looking at engraving services that are nearby can be helpful. It will make things easier to deliver materials and then collect them after they’re engraved. If you’re engraving materials in bulk, using a service that is nearby can even significantly reduce transportation costs.
6. Costs
It should go without saying, but before you decide on a laser engraving service you need to look at how much it’ll cost. In most cases it would be best to contact the service and ask for a quote then factor in additional costs (such as transportation) so that you can compare their rates fairly.
No matter what you do, try to avoid basing your decision solely on the price that is quoted as it is not an indication of quality.
7. Compensation policy
Checking out the compensation policy of a laser engraving service will let you find out what happens if your materials are inadvertently damaged. Most reputable services will compensate you for your loss in some form – making it a good way to narrow your options.
8. Delivery date
When you ask for a quote, you should also find out how long it will take to engrave your materials. Although engraving is typically fast, the delivery date may be influenced by other factors such as the current workload of the engraving service and their overall capacity.
If you need your items engraved by a specific date, it is important to find out whether or not the laser engraving service will be able to deliver it by then.
All of these factors can help you to slowly but surely narrow down your options and filter out those that don’t meet your requirements – so be sure to take your time and not rush into a decision. It will let you ensure that the service you do select is experienced, reliable, and able to deliver high quality engravings.
