Color is the most direct visual effect in product CMF (Color, Material, Finish) design, and therefore it is an important factor in product CMF design. Then how are these colors achieved? Can Bionade be processed in different ways and colors? Do you truly understand them? In this article, we will take a deep dive into the 10 major processes for achieving product colors.
1. Two-Color and Multi-Color Injection Molding
A classic molding process is two-color injection molding where two materials are injected into one product to get different colors and tactile effects. Ultimately, it can enhance efficiency, cut costs, and liberate design freedom. This process is widely used at present.
Today product designs and technology evolve, and two colors are not enough anymore. How can you mix soft textures, various color effects, logos, electronic components, and attractive designs? However, the traditional assembly of injection molded parts is too cumbersome, thus multi-color injection molding technology was born! This is a process that CMF designers and product developers should pay attention to.
This technology is used for multiple materials with different combinations like plastic + plastic, plastic + silicone, plastic + fabric, and others in the plastic injection molding solutions. It can be combined with different colors and can embed metal parts or electronic chips to have multiple functions. It greatly minimizes the assembly process and product manufacturing costs. In fact, it really miniaturizes, intelligent, multi-function, and personalization, with its unique advantages in precision injection molding products in small areas.
Many injection molding suppliers are currently researching this technology. For example, Modern Precision already has very mature multi-shot injection technology as I learned from them. They have designed and built their own injection molding equipment for 2-color and 3-color molding as well as for adding more materials for product design.
2. Spray-Free Injection Molding
Since 2016, spray-free molding has become an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional coating processes. In contrast to conventional methods that involve spraying and post-processing, the technique of injecting special plastic particles with metallic colors directly into the plastic gives a built-in texture that can replicate metal, ceramic, and fabric material. Spray-free molding can also mean a great deal of savings for the environment and increase production efficiency by eliminating the need for additional coatings.
Increasing regulations on environmental matters and the growing demand of buyers for high-quality and aesthetically pleasing products are leading to wider use of spray-free materials. Since these are already mass-produced in industries like home appliances, cosmetics, and car manufacturing, they provide a sustainable and premium design advantage.
To achieve a flawless, high gloss spray-free effect, materials selection and mold design must be carefully chosen. Material fluidity, gloss, stability, and mechanical properties are key factors. These mold temperature controls, location of any water channels within the mold structure, and structural strength help ensure that the defects are prevented and there will be a smooth finish. A durable, aesthetically neat product is possible to produce with a smaller environmental footprint, provided those manufacturers can optimize these factors.
With industries constantly on the lookout for innovative, sustainable solutions, spray-free molding is a technology that emerges as a potential one that is efficient, high quality, and environmentally responsible. It has great potential in many sectors of the future.
3. Anodizing
Color coating of metal products, especially aluminum, is widely used and anodizing is one of the processes. It is the electrochemical reaction in which a current is used in an electrolyte solution to form a durable oxide layer on the metal surface. It is a mature technology that increases corrosion resistance and can produce a variety of coloring effects. While the concept of producing a standard anodized surface is well established, gradient and patterned anodizing has been developed where the unique visual appeal produces the desired benefit.
As manufacturing continues to grow its requirement for gradient colors, the use of gradient anodizing has become increasingly popular. Once anodized, the metal workpiece is placed in a dyeing tank where time in the dyeing tank controls the intensity of the color—the longer the exposure, the darker the hue. A smooth gradient effect is obtained by carefully adjusting the dyeing time. This method is once sealed and is called gradient anodizing.
Another technique of enhancing metal aesthetics is patterned anodizing. This is unlike traditional etching methods, where the depth of the design is created through a secondary anodizing process without changing the metal’s surface structure. This innovation enables manufacturers to produce colorful finishes that are durable and good in other ways, but that are still attractive to look at. The two techniques expand the creative possibilities of anodizing in modern product design.
4. PVD Coating (Physical Vapor Deposition)
The most commonly used coloring process for smartphone backs is PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition). Apart from that, it adds a metallic sheen to the phones and makes them look premium. PVD also provides surface hardness, wear resistance, and chemical stability so phone backs look good at the same time that they are more durable.
The PVD process is based on physical principles of material transfer from a target source to the substrate surface in a vacuum environment. The use of this technique guarantees uniform coating dispersion and great adhesion. Magnetic sputtering is one of the most popular methods used for mobile phone applications because it provides a perfect coating process that is controlled precisely.
PVD Coating Process:
(Include Image Flow of PVD Process)
Gradient PVD (vacuum plating) technology has been widely used with the rise of gradient colors in consumer electronics. Through scientific manipulation of layer thickness or the placement of multiple pigments at a nanometer level, the manufacturer can get smooth, seamless gradation. The more exact the deposition, the better the visual effects of the gradient.
PVD coating remains a major innovation in smartphone manufacturing for durability as well as design versatility. With technology progressing, we can expect more refined gradient and multi-tone finishes that will still promise longevity and high-quality performance of the new modern-day smartphones.
5. Electrochromic Technology
Around 2020, electrochromic technology started to attract the attention of the mobile phone industry. All of this technology has been worked by Oppo, OnePlus, and Vivo. It’s a creative process that enables a device to change its color – a “one device, multiple colors” feature.
For instance, the Oppo’s electrochromic phone can switch between silver-gray and deep blue in 10 seconds. It is the first mobile phone industry mass-produced electrochromic device.
Electrochromic technology is based on the principle that the color can be reversibly changed under the action of an external electric field. The appearance color and transparency of the film structure are changed by oxidation-reduction reactions occurring in the electrochromic layer in the electric field, and the light transmission and reflection are changed.
6. Printing
This wide range of techniques includes silk printing, UV transfer printing, heat transfer printing, water transfer printing, hot stamping, embossing, and pad printing. There are some which use colors, some make patterns or textures. Printing continues to be used widely in many industries as a traditional surface treatment process but will not be explored in detail here.
In consumer electronics, the use of gradient colors has become very popular, and gradient printing has also become popular. Gradient offset printing is a good example that can be used to have smooth color transitions on phone covers, giving rise to visual effects. Manufacturers can get seamless gradients that help to upgrade product aesthetics by very carefully controlling the way ink is applied and layered. With the increasing demand for such vibrant and unique finishes gradient printing is still a valuable technique in modern product design.
(Include Image of Gradient Printing on the Phone Cover)
7. Plasma Coating
Plasma coating technology is an advanced process that produces metallic finishes such as mirror gloss, matte, or semi-matte finish. It is environment friendly and very versatile and can be used on any material as resin plastics, ceramics, metals, glass, and wood. It offers durability, aesthetics, and surface performance and at the same time less environmental impact. The industries that use plasma coating are mobile phone accessories, automobiles, electronics, home decor, and crafts. It is a preferred choice for manufacturers because of its ability to provide high-quality finishes with improved adhesion and wear resistance.
Plasma Coating Process Flow: (Include Image Flow of Plasma Coating Process)
Process Features:
- Wide applicability across various materials and products
- Environmentally friendly, free of heavy metals or toxic chemicals
- Low investment costs, with energy consumption at around 50% of traditional electroplating
- Strong adhesion of coatings
- Simple operation and excellent performance in terms of impact resistance, hardness, corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, and aging resistance.
8. Spraying
Many manufacturers use spraying to treat product surfaces. Manufacturers use spray guns and atomizers to put coatings onto product surfaces to create visual or work-related surface layers. Spraying appears in many different industries including mobile phones, cars, home appliances, and beyond. Modern technology has driven the development of multiple industries through digitalization and automatic processes that use smart spraying methods.
(Include Image of Robotic Spraying)
The growing demand for gradient colors led manufacturers to use gradient spraying in different product industries. Our spray tools mix multiple coating colors while their design changes produce seamless color transitions for decoration.
(Include Image of Gradient Spraying on Car Paint)
Conclusion
The textile industry uses additional methods such as electrophoresis and immersion dyeing which represent traditional approaches to adding colors to fabric materials. Color application methods need to match both current manufacturing practice rules and the changing tastes of customers.
