The specific steps for making lacquered badges involve multiple processes such as design and plate making, metal stamping, surface treatment, lacquer filling, high-temperature curing, and post-processing. Each step must be precisely controlled to ensure the texture and durability of the badges. The following are the detailed processes and technical key points:
I. Design and plate making: Determine the dimensions and molds
Confirmation of the design draft
Draw a 2D design drawing of the badge according to the requirements (indicating the size, color Pantone color number, font details, etc.). For example, the size of an enterprise logo badge is usually required to be 2-3 centimeters, while that of a government badge may be larger (4-5 centimeters).
If complex patterns (such as gradient color blocks, fine lines) are involved, it is necessary to communicate with the manufacturer in advance whether they can be achieved through the baking varnish process (baking varnish requires separation grooves and cannot make natural gradients).
Make stamping dies
Convert the design draft into a 3D model and manufacture a steel stamping die (punch + die) through CNC numerical control processing.
The precision of the mold directly affects the smoothness of the badge edge and the clarity of the pattern. The cost is about several hundred to several thousand yuan (depending on the complexity of the size), and it is suitable for batch production of more than 500 pieces.
Ii. Metal Stamping: Forming and trimming
Choose the metal material
Common materials: copper (soft in texture, easy to shape, suitable for high-end badges), iron (low cost but prone to rust, requires electroplating for rust prevention), stainless steel (high hardness, corrosion-resistant, suitable for outdoor scenarios).
Sheet thickness: Conventional 0.8-1.2mm. Thick sheets (1.5-2mm) can enhance the three-dimensional effect, but the stamping difficulty is higher.
Stamping forming
Put the metal sheet into the stamping machine and extrude it into shape through the die. One stamping can complete the main shape of the badge (such as circular or square) and the basic texture (such as the logo outline and the raised edge of the text).
Key control: The stamping pressure should be uniform (usually 5-10 tons) to avoid burrs at the edges or blurred patterns.
Trimming and polishing
Trim the excess metal at the edges with a press or by hand, and then grind the surface with a sanding machine and polishing wheel to ensure that the edges are smooth without sharp corners and have a comfortable touch.
Iii. Surface treatment: Electroplating primer and rust prevention
Electroplating process
Objective: To enhance the metal’s oxidation resistance, improve its gloss, and provide an adhesion base for baking varnish.
Common coatings:
Nickel plating: silver-gray, strong anti-rust property, low cost, suitable for daily use badges.
Gold-plated/gold-imitation: Golden luster, enhancing the sense of high-end, with a price 30%-50% higher than nickel-plated.
Bronze plating/aging: Through chemical oxidation treatment, a retro texture is created, which is used for cultural and creative products or commemorative badges.
Electroplating process
Metal parts first undergo degreasing → acid washing → activation to remove surface impurities, and then are immersed in electroplating solution to adsorb metal ions through electricity. The thickness of the coating is usually controlled at 0.1-0.3μm.
Quality inspection: Wipe the coating with alcohol. If it peels off, re-electroplating is required.
Iv. Baking Varnish Filling: Color separation and filling as well as detail control
Make color pastes and separate colors
The baking varnish pigment is a thermosetting enamel paint, which needs to be mixed according to the designed color number (such as Pantone 186C red, 286C blue). The pigment particles should be fine (particle size < 50μm) to ensure uniform filling.
For multi-color badges, metal separation grooves (grooves reserved during stamping) should be used to separate different color areas to prevent color mixing.
Manual coloring
Use a small syringe or spatula to fill the color paste into the corresponding area, ensuring it is “filled to the brim without overflowing”. For example, the strokes of the text on the badge (width < 1mm) need to be particularly fine to avoid the blurring of the font due to the accumulation of paint.
The difficulty lies in the fact that gradient colors cannot be achieved through baking varnish and require the use of color blocks for splicing (for example, the transition from red to yellow is filled with color blocks in layers).
V. High-temperature curing: Color fixation and hardness Enhancement
Baking process
Put the colored badges into a constant-temperature oven with the temperature set at 180-220℃ and bake for 15-30 minutes (adjust according to the thickness of the metal).
High temperature causes the resin in the color paste to melt and cross-link, forming a hard paint film with adhesion meeting the ISO grade 4B standard (no peeling was detected by the cross-sectional method).
Cooling and Quality Inspection
After natural cooling to room temperature, check the surface for any bubbles, shrinkage cavities or uneven color. If any defects are found (such as a certain area being too light in color), they need to be removed or reworked and re-colored and baked.
Vi. Post-processing: Back buckle installation and packaging
Install accessories
Pin type: Metal pins are fixed on the back of the badge by stamping, suitable for wearing clothes. The cost is about 0.5 yuan per piece.
Magnetic buckle type: Separate male and female magnetic plates are adhered, no puncture damage, suitable for high-end clothing, and the cost is 1-2 yuan higher than that of pins.
Welded type: The threaded column is welded to the back and fixed with a nut. It is used for safety helmets, backpacks, etc., and has a stronger load-bearing capacity.
Surface protection and packaging
If further scratch resistance is required, a transparent varnish (0.05mm thick) can be sprayed on the surface. After drying, a protective layer will be formed.
Each individual badge is packed in an opp bag and placed in bulk in paper boxes or brocade boxes to prevent scratches and friction during transportation.
Reference for construction period and cost
Regular construction period: 7-12 days after design confirmation (including 4-5 days for mold making and 5-7 days for production). For small batches (100-500 pieces), it can be expedited to 5-8 days.
Post time: May-05-2025