Surface-treated metal components This invention relates to metal components, and more particularly to surface-treated metal components whose surfaces have been treated.

Abstract

To provide surface-treated metal components that further improve the stability of the surface structure and the overall surface quality. [Solution] The metal substrate has a smooth metal base layer 10 formed by polishing the surface of a metal substrate, and a laser engraved layer 20 provided on the metal base layer, which has a microstructure texture 21 with texture depth formed by high-energy laser processing, and whose surface is divided into a texture region 22 having a microstructure texture and a non-textured region 23 not having a microstructure texture, and which is chemically polished to remove slag generated by laser processing and the heat-affected layer formed by laser processing, and an anodic oxidation layer 30 provided on the laser engraved layer, in which an oxide film 31 that continuously and completely covers the texture region and the non-textured region is formed in one step by a single anodic oxidation treatment.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The surface of a metal component is often processed using techniques such as polishing, laser processing, and anodic oxidation to improve its appearance texture, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. Conventionally, a method of first forming an anodic oxide film and then forming a decorative pattern or texture effect by laser has generally been adopted. However, many of the above-mentioned conventional techniques focus on forming appearance decoration effects such as a gradation appearance, a transparent oxide film, or a visible texture, and most of their manufacturing processes involve forming an anodic oxide film before laser processing.

[0002] However, when laser processing is performed after first forming an anodic oxide film on the surface of a metal component, in this method, since the existing oxide film is removed or destroyed, there is a risk that the oxide film structure becomes discontinuous between the laser processed area and the unprocessed area, easily causing non-uniformity in the surface protection effect, and as a result, there is a problem of affecting the overall corrosion resistance and insulation characteristics.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Therefore, in view of the problems existing in the above-mentioned conventional techniques, the object of the present invention is to provide a surface-treated metal component for solving the problems of the conventional techniques.

[0004] The present invention provides a surface-treated metal component comprising: a metal substrate having a smooth surface due to polishing; a metal substrate having a fine structure texture with texture depth, provided on the metal substrate and formed by high-energy laser processing, wherein the surface is divided into a textured region having the fine structure texture and a non-textured region not having the fine structure texture, and is chemically polished to remove slag generated by laser processing and the heat-affected layer formed by laser processing; and an anodic oxide layer provided on the laser-engraved layer, in which an oxide film that continuously and completely covers the textured region and the non-textured region is formed in a single anodic oxidation treatment.

[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, the laser-engraved layer is a structural layer formed by high-energy laser processing using a fiber laser processing apparatus, and the present invention provides a surface-treated metal component.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the anodic oxide layer is a structural layer formed by a wet chemical treatment that does not involve blasting by abrasive material flow jetting, providing a surface-treated metal component.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, a surface-treated metal component is provided characterized in that the microstructure texture has a texture depth, the oxide film has a film thickness, and the texture depth is greater than the film thickness.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, a surface-treated metal component is provided characterized in that the oxide film of the anodic oxide layer is of a non-gradient color, and the oxide film in the textured region and the non-textured region is structurally complete and free from cracks.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, a surface-treated metal component is provided characterized in that the thickness of the oxide film of the anodic oxide layer is 8 μm to 14 μm, and the dielectric breakdown voltage of the surface-treated metal component is 400 V to 600 V.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the oxide film of the anodic oxide layer is a continuous and dense film layer that prevents moisture from penetrating from the microstructure texture to the metal substrate, thereby improving the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the surface-treated metal component.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, a surface-treated metal component is provided, characterized in that the surface roughness of the non-textured region of the laser-engraved layer is Ra 0.1 μm to 0.5 μm, and the surface roughness of the textured region is Ra 1.4 μm to 1.8 μm. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The surface-treated metal component of this invention is constructed by sequentially laminating a metal base layer, a laser-engraved layer, and an anodized layer. The laser-engraved layer forms a microstructure texture having textured and non-textured regions on the metal base layer, and an anodized layer is formed to continuously cover the laser-engraved layer. With this layered structure, the microstructure texture is formed directly on the metal base layer, and the anodized layer completely covers the surfaces of the textured and non-textured regions. As a result, the oxide film can form a continuous and complete structure across the entire surface, making it less likely for the film layer to be interrupted or the structure to become discontinuous. Furthermore, because the laser-engraved layer has a microstructure texture with texture depth, and the anodized layer is formed to cover the microstructure texture, the oxide film forms a coating structure along the surface of the microstructure texture. This allows for a uniform and complete film layer coating structure in both the textured and non-textured regions, maintaining the overall structural integrity and completeness of the surface. Furthermore, since the laser-engraved layer and the anodized layer are sequentially arranged on the metal substrate layer, the anodized layer is formed as a single continuous film layer structure across the entire surface having a microstructure texture. As a result, the surface-treated metal component has structural characteristics that simultaneously possess both a microstructure texture and complete oxide film coating, thereby further improving the stability of the surface structure and the overall surface quality of the surface-treated metal component. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of a surface-treated metal component according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows the process flow of a surface treatment method for manufacturing a surface-treated metal component according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the application of a surface-treated metal component according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the application of a surface-treated metal component according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application example of a surface-treated metal component according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The following describes embodiments for implementing the present invention with reference to Figures 1 to 5. This description is merely an example of one embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the embodiments of the present invention.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, a surface-treated metal component 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a metal base layer 10, a laser-engraved layer 20, and an anodized layer 30.

[0016] Specifically, the metal base layer 10 is formed by polishing the surface of the metal substrate to create a smooth surface.

[0017] The laser-engraved layer 20 is provided on the metal base layer 10 and has a microstructure texture 21 having a texture depth D formed by high-energy laser processing. The surface of the laser-engraved layer 20 is divided into a textured region 22 having the microstructure texture 21 and a non-textured region 23 not having the microstructure texture 21. The laser-engraved layer 20 is chemically polished to remove slag generated by laser processing and to remove the heat-affected layer formed by laser processing.

[0018] The anodic oxidation layer 30 is provided on the laser engraving layer 20, and a single anodic oxidation treatment forms an oxide film that continuously and completely covers the textured region 22 and the non-textured region 23 in one step.

[0019] Preferably, in the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, the laser-engraved layer 20 is a structural layer formed by high-energy laser processing using a fiber laser processing apparatus.

[0020] By performing high-energy laser processing using a fiber laser processing apparatus, a laser beam with a high energy density can be directly applied to the surface of the metal base layer 10, forming a fine structure texture 21 capable of precise depth control, and a stable and highly reproducible texture structure can be formed on the metal surface without relying on coatings or surface paints. By doing so, the processing efficiency is improved and it is suitable for mass production, and a visual hierarchical effect can be obtained in which the texture region 22 and the non-texture region 23 exhibit different shades of the same color system after the subsequent anodic oxidation treatment. In the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, it is preferable that the anodic oxide layer 30 is a structural layer formed by a wet chemical treatment not involving a blast treatment by abrasive fluid injection.

[0021] By adopting a wet chemical treatment instead of a blast treatment by abrasive fluid injection, slag and heat-affected layers formed during the laser processing can be effectively removed, damage due to mechanical impact on the already formed fine structure texture can be avoided, and good cleanliness and uniformity of the metal surface can be maintained. Thereby, in the subsequent anodic oxidation treatment, a uniform oxide film can be formed, ensuring excellent adhesion and structural integrity.

[0022] In the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, it is preferable that the fine structure texture 21 has a texture depth D, the oxide film 31 has a film thickness T, and the texture depth D is greater than the film thickness T.

[0023] By controlling the texture depth D of the fine structure texture 21 to be greater than the film thickness T of the oxide film 31, the oxide film 31 formed by anodic oxidation can completely cover the peaks and valleys of the fine structure texture 21 and retain the geometric shape of the fine structure texture. By doing so, the three-dimensional visual effect of the texture can be maintained, and the oxide film can form a continuous and complete protective layer on the texture surface.

[0024] Preferably, in the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, the oxide film 31 of the anodic oxidation layer 30 is a non-gradation color, and the oxide films 31 in the texture region 22 and the non-texture region 23 are structurally complete and have no cracks.

[0025] By forming an oxide film 31 that has no gradation and is structurally complete and crack-free, a uniform and dense protective layer can be formed over the entire surface, preventing local corrosion or the occurrence of conductive paths due to cracks in the film layer. In this way, the surface-treated metal component 100 can maintain a stable and highly reliable surface protection function while having the appearance effect due to the fine structure texture 21. In the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, it is preferable that the film thickness T of the oxide film 31 of the anodic oxidation layer 30 is 8 μm to 14 μm, and the dielectric breakdown voltage of the surface-treated metal component is 400 V or more and 600 V or less.

[0026] By controlling the film thickness T of the oxide film 31 to be 8 μm or more and 14 μm or less, and making the surface-treated metal component 100 have a dielectric breakdown voltage of 400 V or more and 600 V or less, good electrical insulation performance can be maintained even after the fine structure texture processing. Thereby, the surface-treated metal component 100 can ensure stable insulation performance also in applications in electronic devices or electrical equipment. In the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, the oxide film 31 of the anodic oxidation layer 30 is a continuous and dense film layer that prevents the intrusion of moisture from the fine structure texture into the metal base layer 10, and thereby it is preferable to reduce the possibility of corrosion occurrence. In this way, the corrosion resistance of the surface-treated metal component 100 can be improved, and at the same time, the wear resistance of the surface can also be improved due to the high hardness of the oxide film 31. In the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, it is preferable that the surface roughness of the non-textured region 23 of the laser-engraved layer 20 is Ra 0.1 μm to 0.5 μm, and the surface roughness of the textured region 22 is Ra 1.4 μm to 1.8 μm.

[0027] By setting the surface roughness of the non-textured region 23 to Ra 0.1 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less, a smooth base surface with metallic luster can be obtained. On the other hand, by setting the surface roughness of the textured region 22 to Ra 1.4 μm or more and 1.8 μm or less, a surface shape with microstructure irregularities can be formed. As a result, the surface-treated metal component 100 has a layered light and shadow effect, improving the visibility and texture of the surface.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention can be manufactured by a surface treatment method for metal components. This method sequentially includes a polishing step S01, a laser engraving step S02, a chemical polishing and removal step S03, and an anodizing step S04.

[0029] Specifically, in the polishing step S01, the surface of the metal substrate is polished to make it smooth, forming a metal base layer 10, and a polished metal member without an anodized film is obtained.

[0030] In the laser engraving process S02, a high-energy laser is directly applied to the surface of the polished metal member to form a microstructure texture 21 having a depth D, thereby obtaining a laser-engraved metal member having a surface divided into a textured region 22 having the microstructure texture 21 and a non-textured region 23 not having the microstructure texture 21.

[0031] In the chemical polishing and removal step S03, the laser-engraved metal member is chemically polished to remove the slag and heat-affected layer generated by the laser processing to form a laser-engraved layer 20 and obtain a de-treated metal member. Subsequently, in the anodizing step S04, the de-treated metal member is subjected to a single anodizing treatment to integrally form an oxide film 31 that continuously and completely covers the entire surface to form an anodized layer 30 and obtain a surface-treated metal component 100.

[0032] By sequentially performing the polishing process S01, laser engraving process S02, chemical polishing and removal process S03, and anodizing process S04 described above, a fine structure texture with depth is formed on the surface of the metal substrate before the anodic oxide film is formed. After removing the slag and heat-affected layer generated by laser processing, a single anodizing treatment is performed, thereby continuously and completely generating an oxide film across the entire surface and covering both textured and non-textured areas. This avoids the problem of film layer breakdown caused by laser processing after the formation of the anodic oxide film in conventional techniques, and improves the insulation, corrosion resistance, and overall reliability of the metal components.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, in one embodiment, the heat sink of the memory module 200 is the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, for example, a heat sink for the DRAM of a DDR memory module. Since the memory module 200 requires high electrical insulation performance, the continuous and completely covering anodic oxide film formed by the present invention maintains good insulation properties across the entire heat sink surface, thereby avoiding the risk of short circuits between electronic components. Furthermore, by designing a microstructure texture, the surface area is increased to improve heat dissipation, enhance the brand identification of the product, and provide surface properties such as fingerprint resistance and sweat resistance.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, in another embodiment, the heat sink of the solid-state drive 300 is the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention. By forming a microstructure texture on the metal surface, the surface area can be increased to improve heat dissipation. Furthermore, by processing the exterior surface and the contact surface separately according to the application, forming a microstructure texture on the exterior surface and maintaining a relatively smooth surface on the contact surface, it is possible to achieve both heat dissipation performance and aesthetic design.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, in yet another embodiment, the outer casing of the storage device 400 is the surface-treated metal component 100 according to the present invention, for example, a metal USB memory casing or a metal casing for other electronic products. The fine reflective surface texture formed by the laser engraving process improves the identifiability and texture of the product's appearance, reduces the visibility of fingerprints on the surface, and improves the tactile feel. Furthermore, by introducing statistical process control (SPC), it is possible to maintain texture uniformity and mass production quality during mass production, realizing a product that combines appearance design and mass production stability.

[0036] The surface-treated metal component 100 of the present invention is constructed by sequentially laminating a metal base layer 10, a laser-engraved layer 20, and an anodized layer 30. The laser-engraved layer 20 forms a microstructure texture 21 having textured regions 22 and non-textured regions 23 on the metal base layer 10, and an anodized layer 30 is formed to continuously cover the laser-engraved layer 20. With this layered structure, the microstructure texture 21 is formed directly on the metal base layer 10, and the anodized layer 30 completely covers the surfaces of the textured regions 22 and non-textured regions 23. As a result, the oxide film 31 can form a continuous and complete structure across the entire surface, making it less likely for the film layer to be interrupted or for the structure to become discontinuous. Furthermore, since the laser-engraved layer 20 has a microstructured texture 21 having a texture depth D, and the anodic oxide layer 30 is formed to cover the microstructured texture 21, the oxide film 31 forms a coating structure along the surface of the microstructured texture 21, thereby obtaining a uniform and complete film layer coating structure in both the textured region 22 and the non-textured region 23, and maintaining the structural integrity and completeness of the entire surface. Moreover, since the laser-engraved layer 20 and the anodic oxide layer 30 are sequentially arranged on the metal substrate layer 10, the anodic oxide layer 30 is formed as a single continuous film layer structure over the entire surface having the microstructured texture 21, the surface-treated metal component 100 has structural characteristics that simultaneously possess a microstructured texture 21 and complete oxide film 31 coating, thereby further improving the stability of the surface structure and the overall surface quality of the surface-treated metal component 100.

[0037] The above description merely describes preferred embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications can be made to this technology based on the claims and the above description, but these modifications are considered original to the present invention and are therefore included within the scope of its rights. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 100 Surface-treated metal components 10 Metal substratum 20 laser engraved layers 21. Microstructure Texture 22 Texture Area 23 Non-textured areas 30 Anodized layer 31 Oxide film 200 memory modules 300 Solid State Drives 400 storage device D Texture Depth T film thickness S01 Polishing process S02 Laser Engraving Process S03 Chemical polishing removal process S04 Anodizing process

Claims

1. The surface of the metal substrate is polished to create a smooth metal base layer, A laser-engraved layer is provided on the metal base layer and has a microstructured texture with texture depth formed by high-energy laser processing, the surface of which is divided into a textured region having the microstructured texture and a non-textured region not having the microstructured texture, and is chemically polished to remove slag generated by laser processing and the heat-affected layer formed by laser processing, A surface-treated metal component comprising: an anodic oxide layer provided on the laser-engraved layer, wherein an oxide film is formed in a single anodic oxidation treatment that continuously and completely covers the textured region and the non-textured region.

2. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser-engraved layer is a structural layer formed by high-energy laser processing using a fiber laser processing apparatus.

3. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the anodic oxide layer is a structural layer formed by a wet chemical treatment that does not involve blast treatment by abrasive material flow jetting.

4. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the microstructure texture has a texture depth, the oxide film has a film thickness, and the texture depth is greater than the film thickness.

5. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the oxide film of the anodic oxide layer is non-gradient in color, and the oxide film in the textured region and the non-textured region is structurally complete and free from cracks.

6. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the oxide film of the anodic oxide layer is 8 μm to 14 μm, and the dielectric breakdown voltage of the surface-treated metal component is 400 V to 600 V.

7. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the oxide film of the anodic oxide layer is a continuous and dense film layer that prevents moisture from penetrating from the microstructure texture to the metal substrate, thereby improving the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the surface-treated metal component.

8. The surface-treated metal component according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface roughness of the non-textured region of the laser-engraved layer is Ra 0.1 μm to 0.5 μm, and the surface roughness of the textured region is Ra 1.4 μm to 1.8 μm.

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