Professional Grade: Layered Engraving and Auxiliary Coating Technologies

This article examines the core technologies behind this process, including layered etching and the application of auxiliary coatings.By analyzing material processing, carving techniques and coating combinations, we help designers and manufacturers enhance the visual quality and functionality of their products.Key words include light transmission, layering, and coating, providing a practical solution.

Why is it so important to optimize the light transmission?

Whether the product is a light fixture, a decorative item, or the housing for an electronic device, the light-transmitting properties of the material directly affect the user's visual experience.Uneven, yellow or scattered light can make products look cheap or even affect their function.For example, if a lamp gives off uneven light, not only will it not be very effective at lighting, it may also cause eye strain after long periods of use.At this point, the techniques of layered carving and coating become the key to solving the problem.

This is the basic principle of relief carving.

Layered carving is not just a matter of carving patterns on the surface of the material. Rather, the artist must precisely control the depth and density of the carving so that when light penetrates it, it produces a natural effect of shading.

Material selection and pre-treatment.

Commonly used materials include acrylic, glass, and special plastics.The refractive index of different materials varies greatly. For example, acrylic is suitable for shallow carving, while glass requires deeper carving to achieve a similar effect.It is absolutely necessary to clean and harden the surface before carving, to prevent the creation of rough edges or cracks.

Adjusting the parameters of the carving.

The speed of the machine, the angle of the blade and the rate of feed all need to be adjusted according to the thickness of the material.To give an example, if you use a 0.1 mm cutting tool on a 3 mm thick acrylic sheet, the best uniformity of light transmission is achieved at a speed of 8000 revolutions per minute.In actual practice, it is suggested that one start by doing a small test to record the effects of different parameter combinations.

How do the coatings affect the transparency of the glass?

The coating not only acts as a protective layer, but also optimizes the path of light through the lens by adjusting the index of refraction.

Nanocoatings for better invisibility.

The nanoscale transparent coating fills in the microscopic peaks and valleys in the surface of the glass after etching and reduces light scattering losses.An experiment by a lighting manufacturer discovered that acrylic sheets coated with nanomaterials had 12 % greater light transmission, and the light was softer.

The skill of combining functional coatings.

Anti-glare coatings are suitable for softening strong light in displays, and anti-UV coatings can extend the life of materials used outdoors.The coating should be between five and eight microns thick.

A guide to avoiding pitfalls.

Last year, one client made a translucent sign out of resin. The carving was very detailed, but after they put in the LED lights, the light was blotchy.Later they discovered that the coating had not had enough time to dry, so it was not uniform in thickness.The problem was solved by extending the drying time and adding a centrifugal process.

Quickly identifying common problems.

If the light-transmitting area has a rainbow pattern, it is probably because the refractive indexes of the layers of the carving and the coating are not compatible. If the edges are turning yellow, it could be because the UV adhesive or coating material does not meet weather resistance standards.

The future trend is for intelligent integration.

Some factories have already incorporated AI-based visual inspection into their production lines, using real-time scanning to automatically adjust carving paths.In the future, with the help of programmable spray-painting robots, the efficiency and precision of the light transmission optimization process will be further increased.