If you are still using Corel 9 and want to use the print merge I suggest that you upgrade to X4 as the print merge function is a lot better in X4 than version 9.

Using print merge In CorelDraw

Print merge lets you print the same document or plate many times using different text each time. For example, if you are printing a number of engraving plates for a certain trophy size, you can personalize each plate by merging in different names.
Print merge works by combining a specially formatted text file with a CorelDRAW file. The CorelDRAW file must contain text to replace with words from the text file during the print merge. Each time the CorelDRAW file is printed; words from the text file are substituted with the printed version. … Continue Reading

Now it is time to click in another area to repair that area. If you look you have two points on the cursor – a “+” sign and an “o”. The plus sign is where you are sampling and the “o” is where the sample is being placed. … Continue Reading

Problem: When working with photographs occasionally you are presented with a photograph that is contaminated with finger prints, has ripped edges or creases. Sublimating this image is not a good idea as the final image is only going to look as bad as the original.

Solution: The best way to fix up these imperfections is with the clone tool that is provided in Corel PhotoPaint. … Continue Reading

Figure 1

Colour Filling

Colour filling is a term used within the awards and engraving industry to describe a variety of techniques used to add colour or contrast to engraving. Even though there are a wide variety of engraving materials available that come in a multitude of colours, thickness and finishes, there are often times when it is desirable to colour the engraving to make it stand out or enhance the overall appearance of the product. … Continue Reading

DOVETAILING

DESCRIPTION … Continue Reading

TABLE SHEAR INSTRUCTION SHEET … Continue Reading

If you’re new to the industry, this glossary of commonly-used awards and engraving terms will be a useful resource, helping you to expand your knowledge and your business.

3D ENGRAVING: Process where Z axis can have variable settings of depth during a tool pass. Depth can be set manually, or through software control; creates more of hand-crafted look.

ACRYLIC: Thermoplastic-resin-based plastic engraving substrate. Molecular structure of acrylic provides increased protection from sunlight’s ultraviolet (UV) rays; Material noted for outdoor durability and colorfastness. … Continue Reading

Are you operating a viable business? What is your Business worth if you decide to sell it tomorrow? Are you charging enough money for the product you are selling? These are all questions that we have probably all asked our selves at various times, not only in this business but in other businesses that we have been involved with.
One of the most common questions we get asked not just by new dealers but also by established dealers is what price should I charge for my goods. This has got to be one of the hardest questions I could ever answer. Why? Our answer to these people is usually “what is your time worth” or “what do you expect from this business”. I can’t easily answer this question because it depends on what each individual wants to get out of the business.
And let me tell you we have had some very intensive discussions on this subject with dealers. … Continue Reading

Resolving The Scanner Ratings Confusion

Scanner manufacturers like to use numbers such as 600-by-1200dpi but sometimes these numbers can be misleading.

The optical resolution is determined by the scanner’s sensor usually a CCD array and the number of individual elements in the sensor. For example, a 600-by-1200 dots per inch scanner has 600 elements per inch. But the sensor reads only one scan line at a time. The second number is the mechanical resolution, which indicates the number of steps the stepper motor takes when moving the sensor down the flatbed. So a 600-by-1200 dpi scanner offers a 600 dpi optical resolution and a 1,200 dpi mechanical resolution. … Continue Reading

Sales and Marketing Tips: Promoting and Selling Custom Crests

Crest Systems – Promote the Idea of a Crest

Cast Crests Coloured or Finished in Gold Silver and Bronze

Most Crests, especially with schools (High Schools), are enameled in the school’s colours. Some of the crests are finished in gold, silver or bronze. Most often these crests are cast in either metal or plastic. Although most schools do not care what they get as long as the price and the look are similar, the metal crest is more popular. Plastic used to be cheaper but with better techniques metal is now similar in cost unless you get into higher quantities. Plastic also offered the ability to produce fewer crests. Today that is not the factor. Metal crest can be made in lots of 25 – although the price is cheaper at 50 units. Metal gives the plaque a heavier finish and has a higher intrinsic value. Most people, if asked, would rather have a metal casting as opposed to a plastic casting. … Continue Reading