Laser, sandblasting, chemical etching, or screen printing are all options.
You could have a faceplate lasered, or someone may be able to laser them directly. I built a PAiA Theremin, and had labels made by a Trophy shop that had a laser. I designed the plates myself in Illustrator, to a format their laser software could read. I got two whole sets of three plates (control, jacks, and name plates) made for about $20. They cut them fairly close with a shear. I then drilled holes and touched them up with sandpaper, file, and rotary tool.
The custom vinyl could be used as a mask for sandblasting (like the small hobby kits) or chemical etching (salt water etch, or ferric chloride), to give a nice etch.
You can get more contrast on bare metal by filling the etched area with paint, then when dry, use very fine sandpaper to sand the paint off the non-etched areas. Powdercoat may already contrast with the metal.
I'm not sure who does screening, but I know it is an option.
You could have a faceplate lasered, or someone may be able to laser them directly. I built a PAiA Theremin, and had labels made by a Trophy shop that had a laser. I designed the plates myself in Illustrator, to a format their laser software could read. I got two whole sets of three plates (control, jacks, and name plates) made for about $20. They cut them fairly close with a shear. I then drilled holes and touched them up with sandpaper, file, and rotary tool.
The custom vinyl could be used as a mask for sandblasting (like the small hobby kits) or chemical etching (salt water etch, or ferric chloride), to give a nice etch.
You can get more contrast on bare metal by filling the etched area with paint, then when dry, use very fine sandpaper to sand the paint off the non-etched areas. Powdercoat may already contrast with the metal.
I'm not sure who does screening, but I know it is an option.
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