How to customize the embossed aluminum plate with special texture?

Customized embossed aluminum sheet with special texture needs to be accurately promoted around the whole process of "clear demand-scheme design-process landing-quality control-acceptance and delivery", and each step needs to be combined with texture characteristics, use requirements and production feasibility. The following are detailed customization processes and key points:

First, clear customization core requirements

Before starting customization, six core parameters should be clearly defined to provide basis for subsequent scheme design:

Texture details: define the texture type (such as customized logo, three-dimensional relief, irregular geometric pattern, etc.), and provide 2D drawings (marking the depth, width, spacing and other dimensions of the texture with an accuracy of ±0.01mm) or 3D models of the texture; If it is a figurative pattern (such as a brand logo), it is necessary to confirm the clarity requirements of the texture (such as whether jagged edges are allowed and whether gradient effect is needed).

Specification of base material: determine the material of aluminum plate (pure aluminum series 1, aluminum alloy series 3/5, etc., such as 3003 is suitable for anti-corrosion scenes and 5052 is suitable for high-strength requirements), thickness (0.2-3.5mm conventional range, and the compatibility of manufacturer's equipment should be confirmed in advance for ultra-thick base material) and size (the length and width of single plate or the width and length of coil).

Performance requirements: Define the core performance according to the purpose, such as the surface friction coefficient (usually ≥0.5) for anti-skid texture, the thickness of oxide film (≥10μm) for outdoor board, and the depth uniformity of heat dissipation texture (error ≤0.02mm).

Surface post-treatment: determine whether it is necessary to anodize (enhance corrosion resistance), spray paint (customize color, such as RAL color number), coat film (protect texture), vacuum coat film (such as titanium plating to enhance decoration), etc. Post-treatment should be adapted to texture (such as heat dissipation texture is not suitable for coating film).

Batch number and delivery date: specify the customized quantity (small batch trial production is usually ≥50 pieces, and the capacity of large batch needs to be confirmed), delivery time, and whether it is necessary to deliver in batches.

Cost budget: The mold cost of different textures (for example, the 3D printing mold is 30%-50% higher than the conventional milling mold) and the process complexity (the cost of multi-pass embossing is about 20% higher than that of single embossing) are quite different, so it is necessary to define the budget range in advance to avoid overspending.

Second, choose cooperative manufacturers and communicate the plan.

Selection criteria for manufacturers: manufacturers with "customized mold development capability", "multi-process embossing equipment" (such as cold embossing machine and constant temperature molding machine) and "quality inspection equipment" (laser profiler and oxide film thickness gauge) are preferred; You can ask to see similar customized cases (such as samples with similar relief texture or logo texture) to confirm their process maturity.

Scheme communication and confirmation:

Provide requirements documents (including drawings, parameters and standards), connect with the factory engineers, and evaluate the feasibility of the process (such as whether the ultra-deep texture will cause cracking of the substrate and whether the small-size texture can be accurately formed);

The manufacturer will output the "first draft of process plan" according to the demand, including the mold type (such as laser engraving mold and 3D printing mold), embossing process (rolling/molding, single pass/multiple passes), post-processing flow and cost quotation, and it is necessary to confirm the mold development cycle (7-15 days for conventional molds and 20-30 days for complex molds).

Third, mold development and proofing trial production

Mould customization: Mould is the core to determine the texture accuracy, and the mould technology should be selected according to the texture complexity;

Simple texture (such as customized linear texture): CNC milling die is adopted, with accuracy of ±0.02mm and low cost;

Complex texture (such as three-dimensional relief and fine logo): Fine texture details can be restored by using high-precision 3D printing mold (accuracy ±0.01mm) or laser engraving mold;

Ultra-deep texture (depth ≥0.5mm): the die boss needs to be processed with circular arc transition (fillet R0.1-0.2mm) to avoid stress concentration cracking of the substrate during embossing.

Small batch proofing:

The manufacturer carries out trial production in small batches (usually 10-20 pieces) according to the scheme, focusing on verifying whether the texture clarity, dimensional accuracy and post-processing effect meet the requirements;

The customer needs to test all the samples: measure the texture size with laser profilometer, measure the film thickness with oxide film thickness gauge, measure the anti-skid performance with friction coefficient meter, etc. If there are any problems (such as fuzzy texture and edge burr), it is necessary to feed back to the manufacturer to adjust the mold parameters (such as increasing embossing pressure and optimizing the mold edge) until the samples are qualified.

Fourth, mass production and quality control

Monitoring of production process: In mass production, the manufacturer should be required to monitor the key process parameters in real time:

Embossing process: control pressure (error ±0.5MPa), temperature (normal temperature or constant temperature 5℃) and speed (for example, the embossing speed of cold rolling is 6-12m/min, which is adjusted according to the texture) to avoid texture inconsistency caused by parameter fluctuation;

Post-treatment: for example, control the concentration and temperature of electrolyte during anodic oxidation to ensure the uniformity of oxide film; When spraying, control the coating thickness (error ≤5μm) to avoid color difference.

Sampling quality inspection: sample by batch (3-5 pieces are taken from every 100 pieces), and the inspection items include texture size, surface defects (no scratches, oil stains and oxidation spots) and performance indicators (such as tensile strength and salt spray corrosion resistance time). Unqualified batches need to be reworked.

V. Acceptance and Delivery

Acceptance criteria: based on the "confirmed samples", check and accept one by one according to the initial demand documents, with emphasis on:

Texture consistency: the error of texture depth and spacing of the same batch of products is ≤ 0.03 mm;

Surface quality: no burr, scratch and color difference, and the adhesion of the post-treatment layer is up to standard (such as no shedding in the grid test);

Dimensional accuracy: the length and width deviation of the plate is ≤±1mm, and the diagonal deviation is ≤ 2 mm..

Packaging and transportation: manufacturers are required to adopt customized packaging (for example, separate individual sheets with foam boards, and wrap coils with cardboard tubes) to avoid texture scratches during transportation; Outdoor transportation needs to be protected from rain and moisture (such as covering with waterproof cloth).