Photo Stencil Type 3 – 50 × 50 mm (2″ × 2″), Made to Your Artwork

A photo stencil is made once from your artwork and used again and again. Where a quick stencil suits a one-off or a short run, a photo stencil is what you fit when the same mark goes on every part that leaves the shop.

The photographic process holds finer detail than thermal tape — small text, thin lines, fine logo elements and data matrix codes come through cleanly.

Service life depends heavily on the process. With careful handling and black oxide marking — particularly an outline design with thin lines — a photo stencil can deliver several thousand marks.

Deep etch is a different matter. The process works the open areas of the stencil far harder, and service life is typically measured in tens of marks rather than thousands. If you are running deep etch on a series, budget for replacement stencils from the start.

Figures are indicative. Actual life depends on the design, the electrolyte, the current setting and how carefully the stencil is handled and cleaned.

Made to order, no setup cost

Each stencil is produced from your artwork. There is no minimum order and no tooling charge, so a new part number means a new stencil rather than a new setup fee. That is the practical difference against laser marking or stamping, where every new part carries a preparation cost.

Send your artwork when ordering, at the highest resolution you have. Vector files give the best result.

Which type to choose

Type 3 gives the largest marking area at 50 × 50 mm (2″ × 2″) — suitable for a full logo with text beneath, or a larger identification block. Smaller marks are covered by Type 1 at 25 × 25 mm and Type 2 at 25 × 50 mm.

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