Original Date: 04/06/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Anniston Army Depot’s (ANAD’s) Photo Data Plate Laboratory has developed in-house capabilities that allow the Depot to fabricate almost any type of decal or data plate on any type of material. Processes used include silk- screening, photo etching, metal photo processing, diffusion transfer copying, and metallography lithographic processing.

The silk screening process can produce silk screen prints with a useable size of 15 inches long and 22 inches wide. Foreign language prints can also be reproduced from a sample provided by the customer. Finished prints can be applied to any flat surface including painted surfaces with chemical resistant coatings.

The photo etching or engraving process can produce metal data plates ranging in size from 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch to a maximum of 20 inches by 24 inches. The metal thickness of the data plates can range from a minimum of 0.005 to a maximum of 0.032. Limited to two basic colors, black or silver, any image provided by the Technical Publications Branch or an engineering drawing can be reproduced on the plates. With black as the primary color, an anodize process is used to provide a contrasting color. If silver is the primary color, a poly-color process is used.

ANAD also has a state-of-the-art automated stencil and sign system capable of producing decals on a variety of materials such as vinyl, acetate, and foil-backed materials. The system consists of a commercial-off-the-shelf flat bed scanner, a PC, software, and color printer/cutter developed and produced by Bren Instruments, Inc. in Franklin, Tennessee. It has the capability to produce single or multiple color decals up to 15 inches wide with no restrictions on the length. Foreign language decals can also be produced if a sample is provided. These capabilities provide ANAD with in-house control and the ability to support all customer requirements, both foreign and domestic.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.