Product design is diverse and texture is one of the main factors that impact the appearance of a product. Different textures can bring a variety of styles and evoke a variety of emotions.
Here's a quick overview of ten amazing techniques for incorporating surface textures into your designs:
Recording
Metal Embossing is a mechanical process that creates a raised, scalloped pattern on the surface of a metal plate. The process involves the use of a standardized work roller which is used to roll the metal plate. The work roll is typically machined with an abrasive liquid and the depth of the protrusions on the sheet metal can vary from 0.02 to 0.03 mm.
The pattern is repeated continuously during rolling and the length of the embossed metal plates can be virtually unlimited. These plates are widely used for various decorative purposes, including elevators, subway cars, architectural decorations, metal curtain walls and more.
Embossed metal signs offer several benefits, including attractive appearance, durability, wear resistance, ease of cleaning, maintenance-free operation, resistance to impacts, pressure, scratches and fingerprints.
Metallic wire design
Metal wire drawing is a manufacturing process in which the surface of the metal is repeatedly scraped with sandpaper to create a fine, matte finish with small visible lines or marks. This process combines style and technology to produce a product with a distinct and unique appearance.
Wire drawing can be produced in various patterns including straight lines, random lines, wires, waves and spirals to meet decoration demands.
Straight lines: Drawing involves processing straight lines on the surface of aluminum plates through mechanical friction.
Rough pattern: The aluminum plate is subjected to the high-speed operation of a copper wire brush, which results in a random and non-uniform matte silk pattern through movement and friction.
Topic: A small circular felt motor is fixed on a table at an angle of about 60 degrees to the edge of the table. A carriage is also made with a depression bar fixed to the aluminum plate, and a straight polyester film is pasted along the edge of the carriage to limit the width of the line. Thread lines with the same width are produced on the metal surface through the rotation of the felt and the linear movement of the carriage.
Ripple: This pattern is usually produced on a brushing or grain rubbing machine. The surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy plate is brushed to produce a wave pattern through the axial movement of the upper set of rollers.
Paisley Pattern: This type of silk mark is produced by rotating and polishing the surface of an aluminum or aluminum alloy plate using a cylindrical felt or stone nylon wheel mounted on a drill base. The process involves mixing kerosene with a polishing ointment. It is mainly used for the decorative processing of circular signs and small decorative dials.
IML Technique
Firstly, it is important to clarify the concept: the IMD encompasses the IML, the IMF and the IMR.
- IML: IN MOLDING LABEL (no stretch, small surface for 2D products)
- FMI: IN MOLDING FILM (suitable for high strength products, 3D products)
- IMR: ON MOLDING ROLLER (remove the film from the surface of the product, leaving only the paint on the surface of the product)
IML (In-Mold Labeling) is a product whose surface is composed of a layer of transparent film with a hard finish, a layer with a printed pattern in the middle and a layer of plastic on the back. The paint is trapped in the middle layer to prevent scratching and rubbing, ensuring the color remains bright and vivid for a long time.
The IML product creation process includes the following steps:
- Cutting: Roll film is cut into square pieces of the desired size for printing and molding.
- Graphic printing: Icons and texts are printed on the squares of the film cut according to the required design.
- Drying and fixing the ink: The printed film square is placed in a high temperature oven to dry and fix the IML ink.
- Application of protective film: To avoid stains on the printed film during the punching process, a single or double protective film can be applied.
- Drilling locating holes: The thermoformed locating holes must be aligned, and the locating holes can be drilled in advance during the shearing process.
- Thermoforming (high pressure or copper mold): The printed film is molded in a preheated state by a high pressure machine or copper mold after being heated.
- Outer shape cutting: The three-dimensional film is cut into the desired shape.
- Material injection: The film with the same shape as the front mold is placed into the front mold, and the finished IML product is injection molded.
The film production cycle is short and various colors can be displayed. Patterns and colors can be changed at any time during production and the product has excellent scratch resistance. IML production batches are very flexible and suitable for small-scale production with different varieties.
IML products are widely used in the 3C industry, for mobile phone windows, buttons, logos and decorative films, among others.
IMR Technique
IMR (In-Mold Rolling) is a process in which a pattern is printed on a film and then glued to the mold cavity by a film feeding machine for extrusion. After extrusion, the patterned ink layer is separated from the film, leaving the ink layer on the plastic part to produce a plastic part with decorative patterns on the surface.
In this process, there is no transparent protective film on the final product. The film only serves as support during the production process.
IMR products are strong and durable, with fully covered edges and strong edge adhesion. Conversion production is very simple, as you just need to change the roll of the IMR transfer sheet.
The process is simple, allowing for a low defect rate and minimal staffing requirements. The pattern alignment is accurate, the hardness can reach 2H, and the level of automation in production is high, resulting in low mass production cost.
IMR can produce various textures, such as wood, bamboo, marble, leather, etc. However, one of its disadvantages is that the printed pattern layer is only a few microns thick and is located on the surface of the product. Over time, the printed pattern layer can wear and fade, resulting in an unattractive surface. Furthermore, the development cycle for new products is long and the development cost is high.
IMR products are widely used in the surface treatment of plastic parts, such as laptop covers, home appliance covers, mobile phone cases, ABS, etc.
Water Transfer Printing
Water transfer printing is a printing technique in which a transfer paper or plastic film with a colored pattern is subjected to macromolecular hydrolysis through water pressure.
As consumer demand for product packaging and decoration has increased, the use of water transfer printing has become more widespread.
Its indirect printing method and excellent printing results have solved the surface decoration problem of many products.
There are two types of water transfer printing technology: watermark transfer technology and cubic water transfer technology. The former transfers mainly text and photo patterns, while the latter transfers complete patterns to the entire surface of the product.
Cubic transfer uses a water-based film that dissolves easily in water to transport graphics. The excellent tension of the water-coated film allows it to easily wrap around the surface of the product, forming a graphic layer and changing the appearance of the product.
This technique can cover any part shape, solving the problem of printing three-dimensional products for manufacturers. Curved printing can also add different textures to the product surface and avoid the common virtual position found in general layout printing.
During the printing process, the product surface does not need to be in contact with the printed film, avoiding damage to the surface and integrity of the product.
Water transfer printing is widely used in various applications, such as automotive panels and interiors, 3C electronic products, household appliances, building materials, etc.
OMD Technique
OMD (Over-Molding Decoration) is a process that uses a combination of temperature and pressure. The film material is activated or softened by heat (T) and pressure (P) to transfer or wrap the coating onto the target, thereby improving the surface hardness of the product and increasing the decorative appearance.
There are two types of OMD:
① An extension of IMR technology: IMR external overmolding transfer, also known as high pressure transfer.
OMR (release): After printing the pattern on the transparent film, a high-pressure vacuum transfer is used to directly coat the surface of the plastic (or metal) to form a three-dimensional coating.
OMR (Release Film): The film must be torn off after the transfer is completed, and the outer layer of the workpiece is not covered with film.
Materials that can be transferred include plastic, injection plastic with high fiberglass content, carbon fiber, fiberglass, metal (such as magnesium and aluminum alloy), touch glass, and building materials.
② An extension of FMI technology: high pressure material drawing formation, film printing or different materials coated on the workpiece.
OMF (Forming): Film material coated with OMF (Forming Film), the outer layer of the workpiece is covered with a protective product.
OMF requires only one general injection mold, eliminating the need for high-pressure molds or die-cutting molds, significantly reducing mold costs and increasing customer willingness to develop new products.
The products covered are similar to OMR and are mainly used in high-end automotive interiors, aviation and transportation vehicle decorations, 3C and medical equipment.
Hot pressing forming
After the mold is heated, the sample is injected. The model is fixed to the heating plate using pressure. The temperature and time for melting the sample are controlled and allowed to cool and harden after melting. Finally, the finished model is removed.
This process has been widely used in various fields, such as rice cooker panels, membrane switches, air conditioning panels, washing machine panels and others.
Texturing
Texturing is achieved by chemical osmosis, resulting in a variety of patterns on the surface of metal products such as stripes, images, wood, leather and satin. The process also includes sand blasting, in which glass sand is sprayed directly onto the surface of the metal article.
After texturing treatment, the following characteristics are achieved:
- Better appearance of plastic parts
- Non-slip and anti-rotation with a good hand feeling
- Ability to cover some shrinkage, glue lines and other markings caused by the parting surface and slider
- Increased surface resistance of parts after the blasting procedure
- Overcoming printing limitations and preventing easy ink wear
- Add variety or a new product design
An example of texturing is grain leather, which simulates the texture of a leather surface and is often applied to car steering wheels and interior trim using soft plastics such as PU.
Applied industry
Texturing is widely used in various sectors such as automotive industry, electronics and electrical industry, daily necessities industry, plastics industry, toy industry, leather industry, among others. In the automotive industry, it is particularly used for the texture of automobile interior decoration plates.
Hot Stamping
Hot stamping, also known as “gold stamping”, is a process of transferring a pattern from hot stamped paper to a substrate through the application of heat and pressure. The pressure of the mold creates an indentation, ensuring that printed words or patterns are not easily smudged and allowing the pattern, logo, text or image to adhere securely to the surface of the product.
The hot stamping process consists of two main components: hot stamping and foil. Hot stampings are generally made of magnesium, brass, steel, and sometimes silicone rubber is used on the surface of the metal stamping die for surfaces that are not flat.
Hot stamping foil consists of a backing, a release layer, a protective layer and a decorative layer. The hot stamping process involves four steps:
(1) the hot stamping foil comes into contact with the substrate,
(2) the transfer layer is transferred to the surface of the substrate through heat and pressure,
(3) the pressure is removed and the polyester film is removed,
(4) the hot stamping sheet is fed and replaced by the printing stamp to be stamped.
Hot stamping is a technique suitable for a variety of materials, including textiles such as polymers, wood, leather, paper, vinyl, polyester film, and metals that are not easily colored.
This decorative technique offers resistance to scratching, abrasion and peeling, making it a popular choice for diverse applications in retail and cosmetic packaging, book and magazine covers, automobile decoration, advertising, consumer goods decoration and information identification.
LV (Louis-Vuitton) offers personalized hot stamping service
Laser engraving (ray engraving)
The laser engraving machine uses CNC technology and the laser serves as the processing medium. The process involves the physical degradation of the molten metal and the vaporization of the metallic material under laser irradiation, finally achieving the desired result.
Using laser engraving technology, it is easy to “print” vector images onto the processed substrate.
The technical advantages of this technology are as follows:
Accuracy: The laser engraving machine is capable of producing the thinnest line with a width of 0.015mm on the surface of the material. This is because processing is contactless, which prevents product deformation.
High Efficiency: With this technology, new products can be produced in the shortest possible time. Additionally, the vector file can be easily changed to accommodate small batches with multiple varieties.
Special processing capabilities: The laser engraving machine can meet special processing needs, including the ability to process internal surfaces or inclined surfaces.
Respect for the environment and energy saving: This technology is environmentally friendly and energy efficient, as it does not generate pollution or harmful substances. Meets and exceeds environmental protection requirements for exports.
Metallic Engraving
This technology is also known as photochemical etching. The process involves the formation of a plaque through exposure and development, after which the protective film is removed from the region to be conditioned.
While engraving the metal, it comes into contact with a chemical solution, which dissolves the metal and creates irregularities or cavities. Ultimately this achieves the desired effect.
Engraving is a common technique used in consumer products to create patterns or text, such as logos, on aluminum plates.
In addition, engraving is often used to manufacture a variety of metal mesh products.
VCM board
VCM (vinyl chloride metal) plate is a type of metal sheet that has a stainless steel or galvanized sheet surface as a coating.
The printed film is attached to the surface of the steel sheet through adhesion, allowing the creation of a wide range of patterns and designs due to the variety of film products used.
The VCM board features a smooth, flat surface, rich color and pattern effects, and the ability to even produce custom patterns.
Recently, VCM plates with metal drawing effects have been used in the rear boxes of large-scale and high-end TVs to improve overall product quality.
VCM is based on a steel sheet, with a metallic-colored laminated steel sheet coated with vinyl chloride on the surface. The printed film product is glued to the surface of the steel sheet through gluing. This combination results in a product with a beautiful and diverse range of patterns and designs.
CNC machining
CNC machining refers to the process of using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining tools to shape a material.
In CNC machining, the machine tool is programmed using a specific CNC machining language, which controls various parameters such as feed rate, spindle speed, tool changer and coolant, to physically manipulate the substrate surface.
CNC machining offers significant advantages over manual machining methods. One of the main benefits of CNC machining is that it produces parts with high precision and repeatability. Additionally, CNC machining is capable of producing complex shapes and designs that may not be obtainable through manual machining techniques.
Metal Stamping
Hot Stamping is a process in which a special hot stamping metal plate is used to transfer the hot stamping sheet to the surface of the printing material by heating and pressing.
For metal substrates, it is necessary to use a proprietary metal hot stamping film or apply a hot stamping film to the surface of the substrate through a process such as spraying.
The use of hot stamping foil, which has a wide range of features, allows for fast and versatile hot stamping on metal substrates. Additionally, the hot stamping process is more environmentally friendly, allowing us to achieve our desired designs.
Screen printing
Screen printing is an economical, simple and accessible method for designers. The end result is satisfying and makes it a popular choice for many.
In screen printing, an image or pattern is attached to a screen for printing, making it suitable for flat, simple curved or slightly curved surfaces. Screen is typically made from materials such as nylon, polyester, silk, or metal mesh.
The printing material is placed under the screen and stencil, and the ink or screen printing ink is pushed through the mesh in the center of the screen with the help of a doctor blade. The scraper blade can be manual or automatic.
The stencil on the screen blocks part of the screen opening, preventing the pigment from passing through. Only part of the image can pass through, resulting in only the desired image being printed on the print material.
