How to choose surface treatment?

With the improvement of living standards, people’s requirements for water bottles are getting higher and higher, how to make water bottles become more beautiful, practical and environmentally friendly has become an urgent problem for bottle manufacturers. In this field, CMF process plays a vital role. CMF process refers to the color, material, surface treatment process used in the manufacture of bottles, including color, material and finish in three aspects, covering the surface color, gloss, material and other aspects of the process, so that the bottle quality has been effectively guaranteed and improved. This article will explore the CMF processes, advantages, disadvantages, and selection recommendations in the bottle industry from multiple perspectives.

Ⅰ.What are the common CMF process?

1、Vacuum coating

Vacuum coating, also known as vacuum plating, is a surface treatment technology by using electroplating equipment to treat the surface of the bottle in a vacuum state. It is mainly divided into two types: electroplating and ion plating. Electroplating can create a metal feel and a glossy effect, while ion plating can create a variety of different colors and effects, such as a sense of metallic luster, dry texture and so on.

Advantages:

Aesthetically pleasing with high gloss and different textures.

Integrates with the bottle surface,  not easy to peel off and has good durability.

Disadvantages:

High cost: Vacuum coati

ng process is cumbersome and uses high quality materials, resulting in relatively high cost.

Difficult to control: Vacuum c

oating is not uniform and may have quality issues such as bubbles, requiring support from professional equipment and technology.

Scope of application:

The advantage of vacuum coating lies in its high glossiness and different textures, and high aesthetics. However, it has drawbacks in terms of cost and quality control,

 and requires additional supervision during output production. It is suitable for less mass production, high-grade business gifts, and product designs that require a sense of metallic luster or unique visual effects.

2、Spraying

The spraying process is to spray paint on the surface of the bottles, which can be stacked in multiple layers to enhance the color, luster and texture. Common spraying processes include UV paint, optical paint, baking paint and so on.

Advantages:

Low cost and mature technology: The spraying process is relatively low-cost and has a relatively mature technology.

Simple operation, wide range of application: The spraying process is simple to operate, and is not restricted by the maintenance of the environment or equipment environment. It has a wide range of applications.

Disadvantages:

Poor abrasion resistance and corrosion resistance: The spray layer is easy to peel or scratch, need to pay attention to maintenance.  The selection and control of materials are also critical.

Easy to fade:  As the usage time increases, the sprayed material is more prone to color fading or discoloration.

Scope of Application:

The spray coating process is superior in cost and application, and is suitable for product types with a wide range of applications and high volume production, such as household daily necessities. For products that require repainting and maintenance, it is recommended to use the spraying process to maintain their appearance for a longer period of time.

3、Laser engraving

Laser engraving can be carried out on the surface of the bottles through the laser beam on the surface of the engraving, etching and other processing technology. Different laser modes can be used to obtain a variety of different effects, such as metal texture, velvet texture, and so on.

Advantages:

Fast and precise: The laser engraving process is fast, accurate, and can express details finely, and has a certain uniqueness.

No harm to the texture and appearance of the bottles: It will not damage the texture or appearance of the cups and pots themselves in terms of color, etc. It is safe and non-toxic.

Disadvantages:

High cost: Laser engraving costs are relatively high, compared with the spraying process and vacuum coating, the laser engraving cycle is longer and the equipment is more complex.

Limitations of application: The scope of application is narrow and limited to laser-processable surfaces.

Scope of Application:

Laser engraving is a high-end CMF process obtained through fine processing. Because of the high cost of the process, it is suitable for high-end products with a small output but high attention to product sensory experience, such as high-end gifts and business conference supplies.

4、Porcelain

Porcelain baking process is mostly used on ceramic cups and involves baking a special ceramic coating on the surface of bottles at high temperatures. This process enhances heat resistance, anti-corrosion, and easy cleaning properties.

Advantages:

Moderate cost: The relative cost of porcelain process is more moderate, its cost factor is more appropriate.

Material durability, easy to clean: Porcelain surfaces are very durable because of the high-temperature baking process, and the material is very smooth and not easily stained, making it convenient for cleaning.

Disadvantages:

Limited selection of colors, textures, and materials: Compared to other processes, the options for colors, textures, and materials available for porcelain are fewer, which limits diversity in the color and texture of bottles.

Risk of deformation and cracking: Different materials have different coefficients of thermal expansion, so special attention should be paid to controlling the temperature and aging during production to prevent the risk of deformation or cracking.

Scope of application:

Porcelain baking process is usually applied to ceramic or insulation cups and other types of products. It is very effective in maintaining the texture and high strength of the material. Applicable in the design of bottles, materials, customer requirements for more uniform color.

In summary, the bottle industry CMF process includes vacuum coating, spraying, laser engraving, porcelain and other processes, each process has its advantages and disadvantages. In the selection method, it must be based on the needs and nature of different projects, in order to combine its actual situation, to develop a suitable CMF process program. Coupled with the CMF process successive research is still continuing, in addition to a number of new processes have emerged, in addition to vacuum coating, spraying, laser engraving, porcelain and other common CMF process, there are a number of special CMF process, including special spraying classes, special paint, transfer classes, 3D printing, etc., the following will be specifically described.

5、Special spray plating

Special spray plating is a process where a base coat is sprayed with special surface coating or material to create different textures or patterns found in rainbow spray plating, seaweed spray plating, snowflake spray plating, crack spray plating, vertical/S-type gradient spray plating, etc.

Advantages: Special spray plating can achieve significant texture effects, rich color, and complex patterns, enhancing the product’s fashion sense and meet consumers’ personalized needs.

Disadvantages: The cost of this process is relatively high, which needs to consider production costs and market demand.

Scope of application: The special spray plating process is suitable for those who pursue higher texture, more personalized needs of consumers, such as high-end bottles brand. When selecting this process, it is essential to consider the cost, market demand, and brand positioning.

6、Special coatings

Special coatings add special pigments, additives, or composite materials to the basic coating to form different surface effects. These include UV ice flowers, nano sand texture, nano color dazzle, nano feather texture, nano etching, seven-color electroplating+ rubber paint, etc.

Advantages: Special coatings can realize different surface effects, with good anti-fouling, waterproof, anti-corrosion, wear-resistant, durable and other properties, which can improve the service life of the bottles.

Disadvantages: The cost of special coatings is relatively high, the production cost is large, need to consider the production cost and market demand.

Scope of application: The special coating technology is suitable for consumers who pursue higher user experience or more personalized needs, such as outdoor adventure cups, wedding commemorative cups, etc. When selecting this process, it is crucial to consider the cost, market demand, and brand positioning.

7、Others

Other types of CMF processes include transfer printing, 3D printing, etc., and the application of these processes with the bottle industry is becoming more and more widespread.

1. Transfer printing: Use hot transfer, air transfer, water transfer, and other technologies to transfer patterns and texts to the surface of the cup and teapot, with high resolution, colorful patterns, and various colors.

2.3D Printing: 3D printing is a digital manufacturing technology that can transform a designer’s pattern or model into a physical object with a high degree of personalization and powerful creativity.

Advantages: It can realize highly personalized needs, can be made according to the different needs of consumers, and has rich creativity and expressive power.

Disadvantages:Requires high-end equipment and mature technology, which is more costly. The market demand and brand positioning should be taken into consideration.

Scope of application: Transfer printing and 3D printing processes are suitable for consumers who pursue higher personalization and innovation, such as holiday limited edition bottles, art bottles. Factors such as cost, market demand and brand positioning need to be considered when choosing.

Ⅱ.How to choose the right CMF production process?

When choosing a suitable CMF production process, you can start from the following aspects:

1. Product positioning and market demand: First of all, you need to understand the positioning of products and market demand, according to the value of the product positioning and consumer demand to choose the appropriate process. For example, high-end bottles brand can choose special spraying to achieve product personalization and quality improvement, while ordinary bottles brand can choose more affordable process.

2. Innovation and personalization: CMF process is a way to add unique personality and innovation to the product, so it is necessary to examine the consumer demand for personalization and the innovation ability of the manufacturer, and choose the appropriate process, such as transfer printing and 3D printing process can achieve a high degree of personalization needs.

3. Process cost and production cost: The selection of CMF process needs to consider cost control.  For example, choosing a relatively low-cost process that is easy to produce in order to ensure profit and production efficiency.

4. Sustainability: Sustainability also needs to be considered when selecting a process,  specifically selecting environmentally friendly processes that can be recycled and minimizing pollution and waste of resources.

5. Design constraints and material selection: CMF processes require specific production conditions and materials, so it is necessary to consider design limitations and material selection to ensure production quality and cost control.

In summary, when selecting a CMF process, it is necessary to consider a number of factors, such as product positioning and market demand, innovativeness and personalization, process cost and production cost, sustainability, design constraints and material selection, in order to select a CMF process that is suitable for your product.