Two-Sided Key Tag: Build a Flip Fixture That Preserves the Face
Build the flip around a physical asymmetric datum. The fixture must constrain translation and rotation after the tag turns over, while keeping the documented anodized face protected.
Choose an asymmetric physical datum
A two-sided engraving thread asks how to flip coin-size pieces without losing alignment and discusses building a fixed jig (source discussion or guidance).
Map face A and face B
| State | Face visible | Datum check | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load 1 | A | hole and long edge seated | frame only |
| After flip | B | same hole, opposite edge stop | compare outline |
| Proof tag | A then B | front/back offset measured | accept or revise fixture |
| Batch | alternating | seat check every load | operator initials |
Qualify one sacrificial tag
- 1. Confirm the tag is supplier-documented anodized stock and clean it only by the supplier-approved method.
- 2. Use a durable non-output outline and mark the intended flip axis.
- 3. Run one sacrificial eligible tag, then measure face-to-face registration rather than eyeballing it.
- 4. Freeze the fixture position and project state after approval; requalify after movement or damage.
Measure front-to-back offset
A hole-and-long-edge nest prevents a symmetric tag from being returned in the wrong rotational state. A proof measurement of both faces establishes the offset the eye may miss.
P2 limits for two-sided anodized work
The current P2 page presents a compact 450 nm blue-diode galvo workflow with a 60 × 60 mm listed work area; It is not a fiber or CO2 system, and this guide does not represent it as engraving or cutting bare aluminum; the workflow described for “Two-Sided Key Tag: Build a Flip Fixture That Preserves the Face” is a user-owned process, not built-in automation or a guaranteed outcome. Check the current TYVOK P2 product page before purchase or use.
Flip-fixture questions
Why not rotate the artwork 180 degrees and hand-place the tag?
Artwork rotation does not control the physical part. A stop or nest must constrain the real tag after the flip.
Can cardboard be the permanent fixture?
Use only a fixture material and construction permitted by current guidance. A temporary material that shifts, chars, or creates a fire risk is not a production control.
Does two-sided success prove bare-metal capability?
No. The mark is on a supplier-confirmed anodized surface.
