Engraved USB Memory Sticks in just 24hrs – logo for a lifetime!
The beauty of engraved USB memory sticks is that you can get them delivered in just 24hrs and when you take delivery of them you know the logo or design that has been engraved on them is going to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, the same cannot always be said of printed USB flash drives.
The problem with some USB memory sticks that are printed (and it tends to be metal or aluminum sticks that are the biggest culprits) is that the ink used to print them can scratch off pretty easily in daily use.
Popular metal USB sticks (like the twister or rotate) leave the factory with a protective “film” on them. The film is designed to provide some protection against scratching and to help keep the surface looking pristine. But, if you want to print on these metal sticks you first have to remove the protective film with a chemical wipe and then you need to prime the metal so help with the ink adhesion – if this is not done any logo printed onto the sticks will come off when scratched lightly with a finger nail.
Even when cleaned and primed the ink applied to the metal sticks “sits on the surface” of the metal and once the surface tension is broken (for example with keys on a keyring) then the ink will start to flake off. Plastic USB sticks don’t tend to suffer from the same fate because the ink “embeds” itself into the actual surface of the plastic.
If you are planning to give away metal style USB memory sticks with your logo on and you expect the sticks to take some punishment in daily usage then you might be better thinking about getting the sticks engraved. Whilst printed USB sticks do look stunning if you want your brand to survive as long as the USB lasts or is used then engraving might be a better option.
Engraving is no more expensive than printing and arguably on the right product can look more sophisticated. On metal surfaces that have an anodised colour finish applied to the surface, engraving simply etches away some of the anodised colour layer to leave a white finish (see the example images).
Engraving is also a suitable technique to brand wood, bamboo or leather USB flash drives – the finish is equally effective and durable.
If you’re not sure whether your logo would be best printed or engraved then speak to your supplier and ask for the advice and ideally get them to supply you with samples of your shortlisted drives printed and engraved. It’s fat better to make your decision(s) having seen the products in the flesh and having carried out your own “scratch tests”.
USB2U can supply printed or engraved USB flash drives in as little as 24hrs and will happily supply samples for prior to any order (the samples will be “dummy”” samples – in other words they won’t have any onboard memory but in all other respects they will be the same as the real thing!