When you consider adding text to machined parts, there may be many reasons, such as assembly instructions, part numbers, legal advice or warnings, or just a logo. However, regardless of the reason, specific rules need to be followed to ensure the clarity and readability of the text.
About Text Milling
Text milling, also known as engraving or CNC engraving, create text labels and carvings with different fonts and appearances for machining parts. Its main purpose is to generate CNC programs, commonly known as G-codes, for milling centers and other industrial machines to use in milling operations.This process allows for precise and detailed engraving, making it ideal for adding serial numbers, part numbers, logos, or other identifying marks to machined parts.
Text Milling Font Type
While most 3D CAD programs support the use of standard Windows fonts, it doesn’t mean we should choose them arbitrarily. We should avoid using serif fonts. Serif fonts have small decorative lines or waves at the ends of letters, which are often thinner than the main strokes of the letters themselves. During milling processes, these delicate serifs may not be accurately milled due to their small size, resulting in blurry or incomplete text.
We should opt for sans-serif fonts instead. These fonts lack additional decorative lines, with uniform stroke widths, making them more suitable for milling processes. For instance, Century Gothic Bold is the default font in SolidWorks, and it’s an excellent choice. Additionally, common sans-serif fonts include Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana, all known for their clarity and readability. If you want to emphasize text visually, you can use Century Gothic Bold and Impact fonts.
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Text Milling Font Size
Text on the surface of a part typically needs to be 0.02 inches in height. This height ensures that the text is neither too prominent nor too low to be clearly discernible.
While it’s not necessary to measure the thickness of each letter or line individually, adhering to a font size of 20 points or larger is a good practice. Larger font sizes provide better readability and clarity, especially during milling processes. Additionally, using bold versions of fonts is a good choice, such as Century Gothic Bold and Impact fonts.
In some special cases, if milling smaller fonts is indeed necessary, we should proceed with caution. In such instances, it’s best to submit the portion with smaller text for quotation and evaluation by a professional team. Boyi can mill smaller fonts, so if you require this, please specify when requesting a quote.
If the text is located at the top of high features, such as tall ribs, the text may need to be slightly larger. This is because high feature areas may have more undulations and surface variations, demanding higher clarity and readability for the text.
To achieve the best results when integrating text into parts, we should follow these recommendations:
- Use embossed text to enhance the text’s three-dimensionality.
- Choose a bold sans-serif font of 20 points or more to ensure clarity and readability of the text.
- Avoid placing text at the tops of tall features to prevent obstruction and interference with text recognition.
Text Milling Materials
Text milling can be performed on a variety of materials, including metals, plastics, wood, and composites, making it versatile for numerous industries.
Metals
- Aluminum
- Steel
- Titanium
- Copper
- Brass
Plastics
- Acrylic (PMMA)
- ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
- Polycarbonate
- Polycarbonate (PC)
Wood
- Hardwood (e.g., oak, maple, cherry)
- MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard)
Composites
- Carbon Fiber Composite
- Fiberglass
- Kevlar
Others
- Ceramics
- Glass
Boyi Adds Text to Your Machined Parts
Boyi provides precise and high-quality text milling services for your processed parts. Whether you need alphanumeric characters, logos, serial numbers, or any other form of text, Boyi can accurately grind or carve them onto your machined parts.
Contact Boyi to learn more about adding text to parts.
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All uploads are secure and confidential.
Conclusion
Whether you’re engraving functional markings on industrial parts or adding decorative embellishments to consumer goods, text milling is poised to become the go-to solution for all your engraving needs.
FAQ
Engraving in milling refers to the process of creating shallow cuts or grooves on a part to achieve fine detail. It is commonly utilized to add text, logos, serial numbers, or other intricate designs for personalization, branding, or informational purposes.
The easiest font for CNC machining is typically a Sans Serif style font, preferably at 20 points or larger. Sans Serif fonts are preferred because they lack the decorative strokes (serifs) at the end of characters, making them easier to machine accurately.
TextMilling is software tool designed specifically for generating G-code for text engraving and milling purposes. It’s a user-friendly program that allows users to easily convert text or other vector-based designs into toolpaths for CNC machining.
Download address: https://textmilling.soft112.com/
This article was written by engineers from the BOYI team. Fuquan Chen is a professional engineer and technical expert with 20 years of experience in rapid prototyping, mold manufacturing, and plastic injection molding.
