I am a senior spectacles person, and I have been in the spectacles manufacturing industry for nearly 20 years. As a professional glasses manufacturer, we often come into contact with different customers and meet their different needs. Recently, there was a customer who always asked us to find antique metal colors for them and apply them to their metal glasses and titanium glasses.

Why do modern people like antiques so much? Beauty is not a kind of aesthetics that can be fixed, and aesthetics is not a fixed beauty. The definition of beauty is vague, it exists naturally, and there is no fixed rule. Many things handed down from ancient times are fascinating for a reason. Of course, there were some bad designs and ideas in ancient times. But in comparison, the ancients were calmer and more focused than modern people. They often said that "wisdom comes from silence", and this wisdom is well reflected in their works. Many of the things they made are close to the true expression of their self-state.

I accidentally saw a picture of a pair of glasses on the Internet, and I fell in love with it at first sight. Its simplicity and purity came to my face, and it has remained pure after a long time. But from the design and welding process of the glasses, it is obviously a product of these years. So I started to ask some colleagues what kind of process this is. Finally, a friend who works in an electroplating factory told me that this is the metal plate burnout process. Then, I started to search on the Internet and sorted it out for everyone to share.

As an important branch of modern metal surface treatment technology, the metal plate rotten process combines traditional carving techniques with industrial precision processing characteristics and is widely used in architectural decoration, art installations, high-end home furnishings and other fields. This article systematically discusses the process principle, technical process, application scenarios and innovation direction from four dimensions, aiming to provide practitioners with a reference with both theoretical depth and practical value.

1. Process principle and technology tracing

The metal plate rotten process is essentially a processing method that forms a concave and convex texture on the metal surface by chemical corrosion or physical etching. Its history can be traced back to the ancient Chinese bronze engraving process. For example, the gold and silver inlay process in the Warring States Period has shown the prototype of layered corrosion. On the basis of inheriting the tradition, the modern process introduces photosensitive resist exposure technology to achieve the industrial production standard of pattern transfer accuracy of ±0.05mm.

The core of this process is to accurately control the corrosion depth and texture boundary. Taking 304 stainless steel as an example, different concentrations of ferric chloride solution need to be matched according to the thickness of the plate (usually 0.8-3mm), the temperature needs to be constant at 25±2℃, and the corrosion rate is controlled at 0.03mm/min. Through the multi-layer mask superposition technology, a relief pattern with a three-dimensional light and shadow effect can be produced.

2. Analysis of standardized production process

2.1 Drawing digital processing stage

Designers need to import vector graphics into AutoCAD for line optimization and eliminate details less than 0.3mm to prevent corrosion and fracture. For gradient effect processing, grid density grading technology is required to ensure a smooth transition from 100 lines/inch to 300 lines/inch.

2.2 Plate pretreatment process

Select stainless steel plates with 2B surface accuracy, and perform electrolytic polishing after alkaline degreasing (NaOH concentration 8%-12%, temperature 60℃). The key parameters include current density 15A/dm², processing time 3 minutes, and a mirror substrate with Ra≤0.1μm can be obtained.

2.3 Photolithography transfer link

Apply a photosensitive layer with a thickness of 20μm, and use a 365nm wavelength UV light source for exposure, and the exposure amount is controlled in the range of 800-1200mJ/cm². The development process uses 1.2% sodium carbonate solution, the temperature is maintained at 30℃, and the development time is accurate to 45±5 seconds.

2.4. Step-type etching processing

The first round of etching depth is set to 70% of the total depth, and a spray etching machine is used to ensure the fluidity of the solution. Intermediate cleaning is required before the second etching, and ultrasonic vibration (frequency 40kHz) is used to remove etching residues. The final surface roughness should meet the design requirements of Rz10-50μm.

3. Typical application scenario analysis

In a high-end commercial complex project in Hangzhou, the designer used a multi-level rotten flower process to reproduce the ink painting artistic conception of "Fuchun Mountain Residence" on a 6mm thick copper plate. By controlling the corrosion depth difference to form a three-dimensional layer of 0.1-08mm, combined with the alternating distribution of matte and mirror areas, a dynamic visual effect is presented under natural light.

The latest application in the field of automotive interiors shows that aluminum alloy panels processed by laser-assisted rotten flower technology can achieve diamond patterns with a precision of 50μm. After anodizing and coloring, the surface hardness reaches HV400, and the wear resistance exceeds 20,000 times (Taber test standard), perfectly balancing aesthetic and functional requirements.

4. Technological innovation and development trends

The current industry is making breakthroughs in the direction of intelligence and environmental protection. The visual positioning system developed by a Shanghai company captures the edge deviation of the plate through a CCD camera and cooperates with a six-axis robotic arm to achieve a positioning accuracy of ±0.01mm. In terms of environmental protection, the bio-based etching liquid developed by Nanjing University of Technology reduces the COD emissions of traditional processes by 82% and the processing cost by 35%.

It is worth noting that the rise of composite processing technology. Combining the rotten flower process with PYD coating can form a metal-ceramic gradient effect on the same workpiece surface. The watch case of a luxury brand uses this technology to present a starry sky transition texture on a titanium alloy base, with a market premium rate of 300%.

The continuous evolution of the metal plate rotten flower process confirms the huge potential of the integration of traditional skills and modern technology. If this process is to be applied to glasses, it is necessary to master the core process parameters while focusing on interdisciplinary technology integration, so as to seize the market opportunities in the era of personalized customization. In the future, with the maturity of nanoimprinting technology, metal surface decoration will break through the existing scale limitations and usher in a new era of micro-nano aesthetics.

Antique glasses can give people a classic and elegant feeling. People often like old objects, such as some ancient metals, which represent the continuation of life and respect for life. Regarding the metal glasses with metal burnt flower technology mentioned in this article, I wonder if there are deeper psychological factors besides the superficial reasons, such as the pursuit of uniqueness or the expression of personal taste. For eyewear manufacturers, it is not only necessary to manufacture high-quality glasses, but also to provide different surface processes for customers to refer to. If you have any needs and ideas in this regard, please tell us and let us create different glasses together.