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The technology of Photo Etched:
This is the perfect choice for low quantity orders with highly detailed designs. This process is created by using chemical solution to etch a brass base metal with your custom design. The etched areas are filled with enamel paints in the colors of your choice. Your pin is then plated in Gold, Silver, Bronze, Nickel or Black Nickel. The final step involves covering your pin in a clear epoxy varnish to protect it for years to come.
Etched soft enamel offers a high quality pin at a mid-level price point. Besides low quantity orders with highly detailed designs, we often recommend this style of pin to customers who require larger quantities of pins to use for conventions, giveaways, conferences, or situations where pins will be handed out to spread the awareness of a company's name.
Compared to pin styles such as cloisonne and die struck soft enamel, the advantage to photo etched pins is that the process is less expensive and lighter in weight but still has a high-perceived value. Photo etched process pins also offer great detail, flexibility in design ideas, and a wide selection of colors. Etched pins have the added bonus of being fully PMS matchable. This allows your imagination to run creatively for an elaborate lapel pin design. Etched pins can also be made considerably bigger than the standard 3/4"-1 1/4" size to make them suitable for additional options such as blinking LED lights, danglers, spinners, and sliders. Glitter ink can also be added to etched pins for an eye catching effect.
Two things to consider about when creating a design using the photo etched method, this process is not suited for designs that require multiple levels (also known as a 3D design) or for designs that require sharp external shapes because the outside edge border usually has 0.8mm - 1mm thick edge. Etched pins are, however, completely custom and can be done in almost any custom shape with almost any conceivable combination of colors in addition to the standard stock shapes. Have fun and be creative with the endless options!
How They Are Made:Same principle as pictures taken by camera, photo etched soft enamel is manufactured by taking an image of your design and transferring it from film onto the surface of a sheet of metal. Your design is then etched into the bronze or stainless or aluminum using an acid etching process. Then all of the acids and other impurities are carefully cleaned from the surface. The indentations created by the acid etching process are then filled with the enamel colors. Each color is applied by hand, one at a time, using different sized syringes. The sheet of metal is then fired at 160 degrees centigrade for 15 minutes. The lapel pins are then cut from the metal sheet according to your custom design. Non-colored (raised) sections of the pins are then plated and brushed to a shiny finish. An optional epoxy protective coating (dome) can then be applied to protect the color enamels from being scratched or damaged.
Base Metal:-Brass
-bronze
-stainless
-aluminum
Standard Thickness:-0.8mm to 1.2mm depending on the size of your pin
Metal Plating Color Choices:-High polished gold metal
-Antique gold
-High polished silver metal
-Antique silver
-Polished & Antique copper
-Polished black metal
-Black nickel
Advantages:-Works best for detailed designs
-Great quality for a good price
-Epoxy varnish included at no charge
-Best price for low quantities
Editor:admin Date:2007-07-15
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