Watch Component Color Coating With Titanium Adhesion Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for adhering lacquers or paints to silicon, silicon oxide, or glass surfaces in watch components are temporary and isotropic, failing to provide long-term adhesion and precise application to specific areas.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of a thin titanium adhesion layer followed by roughening the surface and using physical vapor deposition (PVD) to ensure long-term adhesion and precise application of colored coatings, such as paint, lacquer, or varnish, with optional additional metal layers for aesthetic enhancement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If oxygen plasma treatment is applied to the surface, then adhesion of lacquer or paint is improved, but the surface treatment effect is temporary and requires immediate painting
Solution Approach 1:
A metal layer (such as titanium) is deposited on the substrate surface in advance through PVD or CVD processes, creating a permanent adhesion-promoting layer before the colored layer is applied. This preliminary metal layer deposition ensures long-term adhesion effectiveness, allowing the colored layer to be applied at any time without requiring immediate painting after surface treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
A metal intermediate layer is introduced between the substrate (glass, silicon, or oxidized silicon) and the colored layer (lacquer or paint). This intermediate metal layer acts as a mediator that provides both mechanical anchoring and chemical bonding sites, significantly improving the adhesion of the colored layer compared to direct application on the substrate.
2Reliability
If chemical adhesion promoter is used, then adhesion duration is extended compared to plasma treatment, but the treatment still has limited time effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The metal layer is deposited on the substrate surface in advance through PVD or CVD processes, creating a permanent adhesion-promoting layer before the colored layer is applied. This preliminary metal layer deposition ensures long-term adhesion effectiveness, allowing the colored layer to be applied at any time without requiring immediate painting after surface treatment.
3Ease of manufacture
If isotropic surface treatment is applied, then entire surface is treated uniformly, but selective treatment of specific surface areas cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The metal layer is deposited selectively on specific areas of the substrate surface using localized PVD or CVD techniques, or by using masks to define the treatment zones. This allows different regions of the substrate to have different properties: some areas with metal layer for adhesion and coloring, and other areas without metal layer maintaining their original characteristics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves long-term adhesion and precise application of colored coatings to specific areas of watch components, preventing edge effects and maintaining mechanical and thermal properties.
Implementation Method 1
As soon as the titanium comes into contact with an oxygen source such as air or water, a passive oxide layer a few nanometers thick forms instantly.
Implementation Method 2
A process involving a titanium bonding layer deposited via physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
Implementation Method 3
A process involving a titanium bonding layer deposited via physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The process for obtaining a colored surface of a watch component comprises the following steps: a) Depositing a layer of metal onto the exposed area of said surface by PVD or CVD, the metal being selected from titanium, chromium, tantalum, their oxides and nitrides, as well as alloys of these metals. b) Applying a paint, lacquer, or varnish of its own color to the metal layer. Said surface is a silicon, oxidized silicon, glass, or metallic glass surface.