Clarify usage requirements and performance requirements
Consider badge use
If it is used for fashion badges worn daily, it may pay more attention to the texture, color and lightness of the material, such as copper, aluminum alloy and other materials with better texture and beauty, suitable for such needs.
Badges for commemorative events, in addition to appearance, may also require materials with certain durability and preservation value, and precious metals such as gold, silver or better-quality copper alloys will be good choices.
Badges for specific environments or with special functional requirements, such as badges for outdoor work may require materials with good corrosion and wear resistance, stainless steel or specially treated metal materials are more suitable.
Determine performance requirements
Hardness: During the stamping process, the material needs to withstand a certain amount of pressure and impact force, so it should have enough hardness to avoid excessive deformation or damage to the mold during stamping, but it can not be too hard to lead to difficult stamping. In general, metal materials with moderate hardness such as copper, aluminum and their alloys are more suitable for stamping processes.
Ductility: Good ductility can make the material more prone to plastic deformation during the stamping process, which can better fill the mold cavity and form a complete badge shape. Metals such as gold, silver and copper have good ductility.
Corrosion resistance: If the badge needs to be stored for a long time or used in different environments, corrosion resistance is important. Stainless steel, aluminum alloy and metal materials with surface treatment such as electroplating and oxidation have good corrosion resistance.
Study material properties and costs
Understand common material properties
Metal materials:
Copper: has good electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and ductility, excellent stamping performance, can show rich details and exquisite texture, often used in the production of high-grade badges. However, the cost is relatively high, and it is easy to oxidize and discolor, and appropriate surface treatment is required.
Iron: low cost, high strength, but poor corrosion resistance, easy to rust, generally need to be electroplating or painting and other surface treatment to improve its corrosion resistance and beauty.
Aluminum: light weight, good corrosion resistance, moderate cost, good stamping processing performance, suitable for making various types of badges, especially on the occasion of weight requirements. However, the hardness of aluminum is relatively low and may need to be improved by alloying or surface treatment to improve its hardness and wear resistance.
Stainless steel: has excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and good wear resistance, suitable for making badges used in harsh environments. However, the stamping of stainless steel is difficult, requiring the use of special molds and processes, and the cost is relatively high.
Non-metallic materials:
Plastic: Low cost, light weight, easy molding, can be made by injection molding and other processes to produce a variety of shapes and colors of badges. However, the texture and durability of plastic is relatively poor, and it is generally used to make low-cost, disposable or low-quality badges.
Resin: has good plasticity and formability, can imitate the texture of metal or other materials, and can add a variety of pigments and additives to achieve different effects. The cost of resin badges is relatively low, but the strength and wear resistance may not be as good as metal badges.
Evaluate material costs: Select materials based on budget, and select materials that meet badge quality and performance requirements at the right cost. For mass-produced badges, small differences in material costs can have a large impact on the total cost. For example, in the case of a limited budget, iron or aluminum alloy may be a more suitable choice than copper; For high-end customized badges, even if the cost is higher, precious metals such as gold and silver or special alloy materials may also be chosen for their unique texture and value.
Refer to industry experience and cases
Learn from the practices of peers: Learn about the materials used by other companies in the same industry when making similar badges, you can exchange and learn from peers by visiting badge manufacturers, participating in industry exhibitions, joining relevant industry forums or communities, etc., and obtain their experience and advice on material selection.
View successful cases: Study some well-known badge making cases, analyze the choice of materials and application effects. For example, the badges of some large sports events, international conferences or famous enterprises usually use representative and high-quality materials to reflect the image and value of the activity or enterprise, from which you can understand the suitable materials for different types of badges.
Consult suppliers and professionals
Communicate with material suppliers: Contact metal material suppliers or distributors, who usually have in-depth knowledge of the properties, prices and scope of application of various materials, and can provide professional advice and recommendations according to your needs. At the same time, the supplier may also provide some samples for you to test and reference, to help you better choose the material.
Ask a badge maker: Consult experienced badge makers, designers or engineers, who have accumulated rich experience in material selection and process application in actual work, can give accurate material recommendations according to the specific requirements of the badge and the characteristics of the stamping process, and can also share some notes in the material handling and processing process to help you avoid some potential problems.
Conduct sample testing and validation
Obtain material samples: Obtain samples of different materials from suppliers, visually observe and compare them, and evaluate whether the appearance, texture, color and other aspects of the materials meet the design requirements of the badge.
Stamping test: carry out stamping test on a small scale to observe the performance of the material in the stamping process, including the difficulty of forming, whether there are cracks, deformation, etc., and check the quality of the badge after stamping, such as dimensional accuracy, surface quality, strength, etc., whether it meets the requirements. Through practical testing, it can be more accurate to determine whether the material is suitable for the stamping process and whether it can achieve the expected badge effect.
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Post time: Jan-28-2025