Unique Plaque and Plates Applications to Make Your Project Shine

Standing out with commercial signage requires more than picking materials, shapes, or colors. If you’ve never considered precision tooled plaques, cast plaques, or etched plaques for a new project, now is the time. They might be just the solution you need to add a wow-factor that will truly shine.  With a wide range of design and material possibilities, our plaques can provide your customers stunning, one-of-a-kind signage with inherit durability and permanence.

Plate Applications

• Product, equipment, and machine tags and labels 
• Point of purchase signage  
• Recognition with trophies, awards, memorials, dedications, and donors 
• Wayfinding 
• Seat numbers 
• Name tags and labels 

At Gemini, we offer four plaque options to bring customers’ designs to life: precision tooled plaques, cast plaques, etched plaques, and thin gauge plaques and plates. The differences between these plaque options lie primarily in the manufacturing process, application, and the level of detail and customization achievable.  

What are Precision Tooled Plaques?

Let’s look at the features that make precision tooled plaques great for a unique signage design application. 

• Submillimeter Precision: Machine tooling allows for intricate designs with sharp, clean lines, and is a particularly great option for plaques requiring fine text or detailed logos. 
• Material and Design Versatility: Precision tooled plaques can be made with bronze, brass, and aluminum, allowing for more flexibility in design and placement. Learn more about what you can do with a precision tooled plaque.  
• Consistency: Ideal for large orders where uniformity is important, precision tooled plaques are manufactured with advanced technology, ensuring duplicate designs are replicated consistently. Great for ADA-compliant wayfinding signage, precision tooled plaques can be customized with integrated braille at no additional cost.  
• Efficiency and Speed: The use of automated machinery can make the production process faster than cast plaques, especially for complex designs that would be time-consuming to produce by hand. 

For modern designs with intricate details, precision tooled plaques can offer unique borders, textures, and colors for architectural applications, wayfinding, office spaces, and more.  

Benefits of Using Cast Plaques

Casting involves pouring molten metal into a mold to create the plaque's shape. This traditional method works well for:  

• Durability and Heft: Cast plaques are extremely durable because they’re made of bronze or aluminum, making them well-suited for outdoor applications where weather resistance is crucial. 
• Three-Dimensional Depth: The casting process allows for a plaque with raised or recessed areas, providing a tactile quality and a visually appealing three-dimensional effect. These are great for highlighting artisan details, like an image of a person’s face on a memorial plaque. 
• Classic Aesthetic: Cast plaques offer a traditional look that is often preferred for historical markers, memorials, and formal recognitions. If your customer’s goal is to create a traditional, classic look with three-dimensional depth, cast plaques are ideal.  

The Art of Etched Metal Plaques: Capturing Every Detail

 

Etched metal plaques are created using our proprietary chemical process that transfers artwork and photographs onto a metal plate. Available in stainless steel, bronze, or brass, this technique stands out because it can quickly and efficiently reproduce intricate artwork. Ideal for wayfinding and commemorative designs, etched plaques are often used for both indoor and outdoor applications because of their durability. The designs can include endless combinations of detailed line art, intricate diagrams, high-contrast photography, and the choice of raised or recessed graphics. 

 

The Power of Plates for Standout Commercial Signage

 

Thin Gauge Plates can be used in a range of applications, from name tags to mounted metal signs. Less expensive than metal plaque alternatives, thin gauge plates allow for unique applications at a budget-friendly price.  

Your imagination is the only limitation with our Thin Gauge Plates. They are available in a variety of finishes to create lasting impressions that paper or plastic can’t replicate. 

 

Our precision tooled plaques, cast plaques, etched plaques, and thin gauge plates offer unparalleled options for customization, durability, and aesthetic appeal. For sign shop owners, these options present an opportunity to provide clients with outstanding design capabilities and efficient production lead times.  Learn more about how to specify your customer’s plaque or plate design with Gemini by downloading our specification guide here.