Scribes

Dimension layout on metal parts, regardless of the accuracy is typically accomplished by using layout dye and a marking tool called a scribe. Scribes have needle-sharp points and are usually made of hard steel or are carbide tipped. To use a scribe, a layout dye is typically applied to the metal first and the scribe used to scratch through the dye. However, this procedure will cause stress concentration on the surface of a bend and therefore it is not acceptable to use this method to indicate bend lines. Instead bend lines should be marked with a soft tipped marker. See figure 1 for example.