Sculpted depth

Deep Engraved Metal RFID Cards

Deep engraving creates a tactile, dimensional metal card surface — a mark you feel under a fingertip, not just see. Recessed logos, sculpted patterns, and colour-fill zones are planned beside the RF stack, body thickness, and handling requirements, because depth is a physical budget on a card this thin.

Production detail views

Four deep engraving references for planning the finished metal card.

Recessed brass, gunmetal relief, shallow copper lines, and a finish-variation set — how depth reads across the range.

Brushed brass card with a controlled recessed mark

Copper card with a shallow machined line

Brass, copper, and gunmetal recessed samples

Depth is a budget on a 0.3–0.8 mm body.

The recess is worked into a body that runs 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, so deep, tactile marks push the build toward the thicker end of the range and are always agreed against the RF stack behind the face. Sharp interior corners and fine islands are the first details to fail — patterns are simplified at proof stage, not on the machine.

Prove visual and technical performance together.

Approve depth, edge sharpness, color-fill tolerance, and handling feel on a physical sample.

Best uses

Tactile logos, recessed emblems, sculpted patterns, tier marks, and special-edition credentials.
Premium metal card programs where the finish, data zones, and RF construction need coordinated approval
Projects with a defined artwork file, variable-data need, and reader or scan validation route

Frequently asked questions

How deep can a metal card be engraved?

Deep enough to feel clearly under a fingertip. The working recess is agreed against the 0.3–0.8 mm body and the RF stack behind it, which is why heavily sculpted patterns steer toward thicker builds.

Can deep engraving be colour-filled?

Yes — the recess is what makes enamel-style fill possible, acting as a boundary that holds the colour. Fill tolerance and edge sharpness are approved on the physical sample.

Does deep engraving affect RFID performance?

It is the one marking decision that physically approaches the RF layers, so recess depth, position, and body thickness are reviewed together before a production sample is approved.

Specification

Format	CR80 85.6 x 54 mm by default; custom outlines after RF review
Thickness	0.3 mm to 0.8 mm depending on construction
Minimum order	None — single samples to production runs
Production time	About one week after artwork and sample approval
RF construction	Antenna, ferrite or hybrid shielding, chip, metal faces, and edge stack specified together
Chip routes	NFC tag, standard HF, high-security AES HF, LF compatibility, and selected UHF by reader test
Marking options	Laser etch, deep engraving, UV print, white ink, enamel fill, QR, serial, and controlled cut-through
Approval flow	Finish sample, encoded working sample, reader check, pre-production approval
Primary route	Deep engraving
Best use	Tactile logos, recessed emblems, sculpted patterns, tier marks, and special-edition credentials.
Approval check	Approve depth, edge sharpness, color-fill tolerance, and handling feel on a physical sample.