Karl Townsend writes:

Is there any way to lay this all out in some pc program and print it to
something that can be transferred to the sheet metal?

Print the mirror image on a laser printer, make a contact print of the
toner against the metal using acetone or lacquer thinner. Cover with clear
spray lacquer or a laser transparency if subject to wear. I use this
method to label parts such as you can see here in a few examples:

http://www.truetex.com/micad.htm

Not as durable as engraving but nearly as good as silk-screening.