Customizing tablets, like Chromebooks and iPads, with school logos is a popular choice for schools, but the outsourcing this can actually be very costly. What many educators don’t realize is for around the same cost, you can invest in a piece of technology for your CTE program that can not only personalize unlimited tablets but also serve as a piece of teaching equipment for years to come.
There are a few common pieces of equipment that you can use to personalize tablets – UV flatbed printers and laser cutters. Depending on your CTE equipment needs one may make more sense for you to have year-round, but either will work well for this application.
Laser Cutters
You can use laser cutters, like Universal Laser systems, to engrave directly onto and iPad or Chromebook. Depending on the size of your laser cutter, you can run several at a time.
We’ve seen quite a few schools use their own laser cutters to brand their tablets. Lynchburg City Schools in Virginia uses their laser cutter to etch each school’s name and logo on the Chromebook laptops available through its 1:1 technology program. It used to cost the county more than the cost of a single laser system to engrave Chromebooks each year. Now, they can cut costs and complete the engravings in as little as two weeks.
Learn about other popular ways educators use laser cutters here.
UV Flatbed Printers
Flatbed UV printers – like those from Roland – are a great way to print Chromebook, iPhone and iPad covers on-demand with VersaUV LEF flatbed technology combined with special print fixtures.
Rather than etching into the actual tablet, flatbed UV printers allow you to personalize with covers and decals or by printing directly onto the tablet, giving you more options in terms of design.
You can print personalized covers using photos or your own custom designs or create contour-cut vinyl graphics if you do not want a full sized cover. Whether printing a full cover or decals, UV gloss effects allow for the creation of intricate textures and pattern.
Find more examples of how others have used flatbed UV printers to personalize iPads and iPhones here.
