Production

For production, the process is divided into 2 parts: opening mold and making products.

It usually takes 5-7 days to open mold, and if customers need to check pre-production samples, samples can be made after mold is opened.

There are various ways to make products, like making the shapes of products by die casting/die struck/photo etched, coloring the products by filling soft enamel/hard enamel/offset printing/silkscreen printing/pad printing, epoxy dome, plating the metal by different finishing, and add different accessories.

Materials: we have many materials to produce what the customers’ needs, different materials have different prices and production processes, include zinc alloy, brass/copper, iron, aluminium, stainless steel, stainless iron, pewter.

Different Looks of Products

We make the metal base of products by die casting/die struck/photo etched, there will be recessed areas or pools on the base in this process, and we fill colors to the recessed areas or pools by hand, the looks will be hard enamel or soft enamel, and another special effect translucent color.

　● Hard Enamel: Sometimes called epola or cloisonné, after product metal base is made, we fill the metal base recessed areas or pools with enamel powder and high fired at 800 - 900 degrees. After cooling, the surface of the pin is ground down to a smooth finish. Metal borders trap each color and the surface is polished and ground flat.

 

Metal Base

Final Hard Enamel Products

　● Soft Enamel ：we use different types of syringes to fill the soft enamel to the metal base recessed areas then bake them to harden. Unlike hard enamel, the areas of color rest below the metal strip surface, which can be felt when you run your finger over the surface. Epoxy domes can be added to protect the enamel surface and make the products look nicer.

 

　● Translucent Color Effect: this is a kind of special paint, with which the products can have a translucent effect, we can even see the metal base or opposite side through the colors.

 

 

　　To make printing effect, we have several methods to print. Firstly, the metal base should be formed by die struck or die casting, then we will print customers’ designs, logos on the metal base or a paper sticker, which will be attached to the metal base later.
　● Offset Printing: photo quality in a four color process, will be best for detailed designs which have gradients or shaded areas. Products can be protected with an epoxy dome.
　● Silkscreen Printing: Screen printing imprints individual solid colors one at a time to create a matte finish; great for simple artwork.

 

　● Metal Plating Chart

 

　● Laser Engraving：We engrave the required contents by lasering. For some sequential and limited products, we can laser numbers to the areas required. And we save molding costs by opening one mold but laser engraving different contents to products in different variants, like medals of marathon and half marathon made just on a same mold.

 

 

　● Glowing : we make the products glow by adding glowing powders, which is a kind of rare earth, they absorb light and release in the dark. Different colors of glowing powders are available.

 

 

　● Cutouts: some products can have cutouts to make the looks more unique and decent.

 

　● Sandblasting : it is a jewelry-like appearance, we usually add this effect to products in shiny metal plating colors, like gold, nickel and copper.

 

　● Glitter : glitter effect can be made by adding synthetic glittering materials, different kinds of colors are optional and available.

 

　● Epoxy Dome: a kind of transparent plastic layer, we often add it to the surface of soft enamel or printing products, serving as a top layer of protection, avoiding scratching or damage on the color fillings and making products more durable, preventing cracking or fading after long time.

 

　● Spinning effect: A Spinner product has a spinning mechanism that moves a piece of the product 360 degrees.

 

　● Dangler : Dangle products have an extension to the base of the products that dangles (hangs) from one or more small loops or chains.

 

 

　● Bobble : A bobble product is an upside-down dangler product that uses a spring instead of a chain.