Multicolor identification component and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a multicolor identification component and a manufacturing method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of laser processing. The method comprises the steps that at least three layers of coatings with different colors are sprayed on a base material according to a preset sequence, a multi-layer paint face structure is formed, the spraying sequence follows the principle that the areas of color areas are decreased from large to small, and the thicknesses of the coatings are decreased progressively according to the sequence; and then, a laser marking machine is utilized, laser parameters of different paint stripping levels are accurately controlled and dynamically adjusted, the multiple layers of paint surfaces are selectively stripped layer by layer, the preset color of the next layer is exposed at a time, and therefore a pattern containing at least three colors is formed. Through the synergistic effect of the multi-layer structure and laser layer-by-layer paint stripping, the low-efficiency and low-quality manual paint filling procedure in the traditional technology is thoroughly abandoned, and efficient, high-quality and full-automatic production of the multi-color identification component is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of surface treatment and laser processing technology, and in particular to a method for producing marking components with three or more colors on a substrate in a single operation, and the multi-color marking components produced by this method. Background Technology

[0002] Dials, nameplates, panels, and other marking components are widely used in industrial instruments, automobiles, aviation, aerospace, and medical equipment, serving to display key parameters, markings, or warning information. With the increasing complexity of equipment functions and the growing demand for user-friendly design, single-color markings are no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of clear indication and aesthetics; therefore, the ability to display three or more colors on the same component has become an urgent need.

[0003] The traditional method for producing multi-color labels is chemical etching. The general process involves coating a metal substrate with photoresist, exposing and developing it to form a pattern, then using a chemical etching solution (such as acid or alkali) to etch grooves into the unprotected metal parts. Different colors of paint are then manually filled into these grooves. This method has inherent drawbacks: First, the entire etching process generates large amounts of waste acid and alkali containing heavy metal ions, causing serious environmental pollution and contradicting current green manufacturing principles. Second, the process is lengthy, involving multiple steps such as plate making, exposure, etching, cleaning, and paint filling, resulting in low production efficiency. Finally, the manual paint filling stage heavily relies on the operator's skill level, easily leading to problems such as paint overflow, uneven color, and poor adhesion, resulting in poor product consistency and a low yield.

[0004] To replace the heavily polluting chemical etching method, laser marking technology has been introduced into this field. For example, Chinese patent application CN118905562A discloses a manufacturing process for metal nameplates, which involves the steps of "spraying primer → spraying topcoat → laser marking → manual filling → spraying clear varnish." This process uses lasers to ablate part of the topcoat, exposing the primer color, thus achieving a two-color effect. While this solves the pollution problem of chemical etching, its technical limitations are very obvious: it can essentially only achieve two colors (primer color and topcoat color). The introduction of any third or higher color must revert to the inefficient and uncontrollable manual filling process. Therefore, this process does not fundamentally solve the problem of automated, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing of multi-color (≥3) markings.

[0005] Therefore, those skilled in the art have long faced an unsolved technical problem: how to provide a manufacturing method that can completely eliminate the manual painting process and automatically produce marking components with three or more colors in one go, and this method should have the advantages of being environmentally friendly, efficient and stable in product quality. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an efficient, high-quality, fully automatic multi-color marking component and its manufacturing method.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a multi-color marking component, comprising the following steps: At least three layers of different colors are sequentially formed on the substrate to form a multi-layer paint structure; The multi-layered paint structure is marked using a laser. By controlling the laser energy and according to the pre-generated pattern, the coating in the corresponding area is removed layer by layer to expose the preset next layer color, thereby forming a pattern containing at least three colors in one go.

[0008] In one embodiment, the coating is formed in order of decreasing area of ​​each color region in the final pattern.

[0009] In one embodiment, the thickness of the different colored coatings decreases as they are formed later in the order they are applied.

[0010] In one embodiment, the dried thickness of the first coating layer is H1, and the dried thickness of the last coating layer is Hn, satisfying H1-Hn≥5μm.

[0011] In one embodiment, when removing coatings layer by layer using a laser, different laser processing parameters are used for coatings of different colors.

[0012] In one embodiment, the laser processing parameters include power, frequency, and scanning speed; wherein, when removing the lower coating layer, the laser power used is not less than the laser power used when removing the upper coating layer.

[0013] In one embodiment, the substrate is a metal substrate, and the coating is an epoxy, polyurethane, or acrylic organic coating layer.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a multi-color marking component, which is manufactured by the method described in the first aspect.

[0015] In one embodiment, the multi-color marking component is a dial.

[0016] In one embodiment, the multi-color marking component is a nameplate.

[0017] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention, through its innovative multi-layer structure and laser-based layer-by-layer paint peeling technology, achieves one-time, fully automated processing of three or more colors, completely eliminating the inefficient and low-quality manual paint-filling process. All colors are precisely peeled out by the same laser equipment, with clear boundaries and no paint overflow or color mixing issues, resulting in extremely high product consistency and yield. The entire production process is free of chemical corrosion, involving only spraying and laser processing, making it green and environmentally friendly, and increasing production efficiency several times compared to traditional manual paint-filling processes. The manufacturing process of this invention uses thickness gradient control and dynamic matching of laser parameters to solve technical problems such as burns to the underlying layer or incomplete peeling of the upper layer caused by arbitrary operation. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the manufacturing method of the multi-color marking component according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the product layered structure formed in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] Example 1 This invention provides a method for manufacturing a multi-color marking component. The method involves creating an aluminum alloy dial with five colors: black, white, red, yellow, and green. The method specifically includes the following steps: S101: Substrate preparation and pretreatment Specifically, 2A12 aluminum alloy sheet is selected as the base material, with a thickness of approximately 1mm. First, it is machined into the required dial blank, and all assembly holes are machined in.

[0022] Then, the surface of the blank is subjected to a natural-color chemical oxidation treatment to improve the adhesion between the aluminum alloy substrate and the subsequent organic coating, which is the basis for forming a strong multi-layer paint structure. This step clarifies the specific composition and pretreatment of the substrate.

[0023] S102: Multi-layer sequential spraying Specifically, the first step is to select the coating. In this embodiment of the invention, the TB04-62 series of acrylic modified paints in various colors from Tianjin Lighthouse Paint Factory are selected. This series of paints is an acrylic modified resin paint, belonging to acrylic organic coatings with excellent adhesion to metal substrates, and its composition and characteristics are suitable for the subsequent laser stripping process. For example, epoxy, polyurethane, and other organic coatings can also be selected. Coatings formed by epoxy, polyurethane, or acrylic paints and metal substrates all have good adhesion.

[0024] Then, the spraying sequence and thickness are controlled: This embodiment of the invention follows the principle of spraying from largest to smallest area, and implements a strategy of reducing thickness as the area decreases. The specific operation is as follows: First layer (background layer, largest area): Black paint is sprayed on. This layer serves as the background for the entire dial and covers the largest area, so it is set as the thickest coating (exemplarily, its dried thickness is controlled to 20μm) to provide sufficient process buffer for subsequent multi-layer paint stripping and prevent accidental laser breakdown.

[0025] Second layer (second largest area layer): After the black paint is surface dry, spray on white paint. This color is used for most of the main scale lines, for example, and its dry thickness is controlled to be 15μm.

[0026] Third layer (intermediate area layer): After the white paint has dried to the surface, spray on the green paint. For example, control its drying thickness to be 15μm.

[0027] Fourth layer (smaller area layer): After the green paint has dried to the touch, spray on the yellow paint. For example, control its drying thickness to be 10 μm.

[0028] Fifth layer (top layer, smallest area): Spray with red paint. This color is only used for the highest level of warning signs or pointers. For example, its dried thickness is controlled to 10 μm.

[0029] Through the above spraying, at least three (five) layers of different colors are sequentially formed on the substrate to form a multi-layer paint structure. The formation order of the coatings is based on the area of ​​each color region in the final pattern from large to small; and the thickness of the coatings of different colors decreases as they are formed later in the order.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the dried thickness of the first coating layer is H1 = 20 μm, and the dried thickness of the last coating layer is Hn = 10 μm, where H1 - Hn = 10 μm, satisfying H1 - Hn ≥ 5 μm. This precise thickness gradient control is the core physical guarantee that the laser can cleanly peel off the upper layer without damaging the lower layer.

[0031] S103: Laser marking Specifically, this embodiment of the invention uses a CAPE-YLPM-20A fiber laser marking machine. First, in computer-aided design (CAD) software, a 1:1 vector image of the final dial effect is drawn based on the product design drawings. Then, in the CAD software or the dedicated laser marking machine software, the final color image is strictly divided into blocks according to five colors: black, white, green, yellow, and red, generating five independent, clearly defined closed contour layers. Each layer precisely corresponds to the area of ​​that color on the final product. These five color-separated layers are imported into the control software of the CAPE-YLPM-20A laser marking machine. The software will automatically generate the precise scanning path and processing sequence of the laser beam based on these layer contours.

[0032] Then, a laser is used to mark the multi-layered paint structure. By controlling the laser energy and according to the pre-generated pattern, the coating in the corresponding area is removed layer by layer to expose the preset next layer color, thereby forming a pattern containing at least three colors at once.

[0033] Specifically, the laser marking machine will strictly follow the imported pattern and control the laser beam for processing. The machine will divide the coating into color blocks, starting with the top layer of red and peeling off the paint from top to bottom. This is a precise paint peeling process. When using laser to remove coatings layer by layer, different laser processing parameters are used for different colored coatings.

[0034] Step 1: Stripping the Top Layer of Red Paint. The laser beam scans only within the outlined red layer area defined in the drawing, aiming to completely remove the red paint from the designated area without damaging the underlying yellow paint. At this stage, the laser processing parameters are set as follows: power 15%, frequency 70 kHz, and scanning speed 600 mm / s. This relatively low power parameter is designed to precisely control the stripping depth, ensuring that only the top layer of red paint (10 μm) is vaporized without damaging the underlying yellow paint, achieving selective separation between layers. At this point, the red-marked area is precisely removed, revealing the pure yellow layer.

[0035] Step 2: Remove the fourth layer of yellow paint. The laser beam then scans within the outline area of ​​the yellow layer defined in the drawing, aiming to remove the yellow paint in the designated area and expose the underlying green paint. At this point, the laser processing parameters are: power adjusted to 18%, frequency 75 kHz, and scanning speed 580 mm / s. Since the yellow paint layer is also 10 μm thick, but needs to penetrate to the next layer, the power is appropriately increased. This operation exposes the underlying green layer.

[0036] Step 3: Removing the third layer of green paint. The laser beam scans within the outline area of ​​the green layer defined in the drawing, aiming to remove the green paint and expose the underlying white paint. At this point, the laser processing parameters are: power significantly increased to 22%, frequency 80 kHz, and scanning speed 550 mm / s. Due to the thickness of the green paint layer (15 μm), higher energy is required for effective removal. Increasing the power from 18% to 22% ensures thorough paint removal while exposing the underlying white layer.

[0037] Step 4: Removing the second layer of white paint. The laser beam scans within the outline area of ​​the white layer defined in the design, aiming to remove the white paint and ultimately expose the underlying black background. At this point, the laser processing parameters are: power further increased to 25%, frequency 85 kHz, and scanning speed 500 mm / s. This is one of the steps for removing one of the thickest coatings (15 μm of white paint), requiring one of the highest energy levels. After parameter adjustments, the white paint is removed, revealing the final underlying black layer.

[0038] This step employs four different, meticulously optimized sets of laser parameters for paint layers of varying colors, thicknesses, and physicochemical properties. Throughout the paint stripping process, the laser power exhibits a monotonically increasing trend with increasing stripping depth (from the top layer red to the bottom layer white): 15% → 18% → 22% → 25%. This means that the laser power used to remove the lower coating layer is no less than the laser power used to remove the upper coating layer. This dynamic matching strategy of laser parameters compensates for laser energy loss when penetrating the upper layer and addresses differences in paint layer thickness and physical properties, ensuring that each layer from the top to the bottom is completely and clearly stripped while absolutely avoiding damage to the substrate. This solves the process challenge of simultaneously burning the underlying layer and incomplete stripping of the upper layer.

[0039] Through the aforementioned automated and continuous laser processing steps, a final five-color aluminum alloy dial was obtained in one go. All color areas perfectly matched the pre-generated pattern, demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of the method. The dial features: a black background, white main scale, green functional area indicators, yellow warning areas, and a red highest-level warning indicator. All color boundaries are clear and sharp, without any paint overflow, color bleeding, or damage.

[0040] The multi-color marking component manufactured and processed through the above-described method steps in this embodiment of the invention is specifically embodied as a high-performance dial.

[0041] Example 2 Of course, the multi-color marking component can also be a nameplate. To illustrate its application in nameplate manufacturing, this embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a three-color stainless steel nameplate.

[0042] First, 304 stainless steel sheet is selected as the base material and cleaned and degreased. Then, based on the area of ​​each color region in the final nameplate design, three layers of paint are applied sequentially. First layer (background layer, largest area): Spray a dark blue epoxy topcoat, controlling its drying thickness to 18μm.

[0043] The second layer (logo layer, second in area): spray silver-gray acrylic paint to form the base layer of the company logo, controlling its drying thickness to 12μm.

[0044] The third layer (text layer, smallest area): spray white acrylic paint for text information, controlling its drying thickness to 8μm.

[0045] Finally, laser marking is performed. A three-color digital pattern containing a dark blue background, a silver-gray logo, and white text is pre-generated. Using a laser marking machine, the paint is peeled off layer by layer according to this pattern. Step 1: Using a lower laser power (e.g., 12%), peel off the top layer of white paint to expose the underlying silver-gray layer in the areas where white text needs to be displayed.

[0046] Step 2: Using a medium laser power (e.g., 18%), peel off the second layer of silver-gray paint to reveal the underlying dark blue background in the area where the silver-gray logo needs to be displayed.

[0047] The final product is a three-color stainless steel nameplate with a dark blue background, a silver-gray logo, and white text. All elements have clear boundaries, are formed in one piece without any hand painting, and fully utilize the texture of the metal substrate, resulting in a high-end appearance and durability.

[0048] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a multi-color marking component, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: At least three layers of different colors are sequentially formed on the substrate to form a multi-layer paint structure; The multi-layered paint structure is marked using a laser. By controlling the laser energy and according to the pre-generated pattern, the coating in the corresponding area is removed layer by layer to expose the preset next layer color, thereby forming a pattern containing at least three colors in one go.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coating is formed in the order of decreasing area of ​​each color region in the final pattern.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thickness of the coatings of different colors decreases as they are formed later in the order they are formed.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drying thickness of the first coating layer is H1, and the drying thickness of the last coating layer is Hn, satisfying H1-Hn≥5μm.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, When using lasers to remove coatings layer by layer, different laser processing parameters are used for coatings of different colors.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The laser processing parameters include power, frequency, and scanning speed; wherein, when removing the lower coating layer, the laser power used is not less than the laser power used when removing the upper coating layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is a metal substrate, and the coating is an epoxy, polyurethane, or acrylic organic coating layer.

8. A multi-color marking component, characterized in that, The multi-color marking component is made by the method described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. The multi-color marking component according to claim 8, characterized in that, The multi-color marking component is a dial.

10. The multi-color marking component according to claim 8, characterized in that, The multi-color marking component is a nameplate.

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