What are the impacts of seven types of materials, including aluminum/nickel/zinc/copper/galvanized sheet, and their surface treatments on structural design

Many structural designers are still unclear about what CMF is? What is the relationship between CMF design and our structure? What impact will structural design have on CMF?
CMF stands for Color, Material, and Finishing in English. After the product design is completed, it needs to be painted and put on a coat. As for what color to use for the coat, what kind of fabric to choose, and what texture to use on the surface, all of these need to be completed by CMF designers.
So what are the essential differences between ID/MD/CMF?
1. The focus of ID design is on the design of the product's skeleton and contour, which shape can better match the product style, how to split it to meet manufacturing requirements, and which proportion is more suitable for human-machine engineering relationships. Of course, this period also includes some market research, structural disassembly methods, and preliminary performance of CMF.
2. The focus of MD design is on the combination of product architecture, which is the most reasonable and suitable for mass production, and can achieve the best cost. During this period, it will also involve the rational optimization of ID design and CMF design.
3. The focus of CMF design is on the surface craftsmanship of the product, which color coating is most easily accepted by consumers, which material and process can better reflect the texture of the product, meet cost and mass production standards, and how to better design to meet consumer psychological needs. During the development phase, it is also necessary to coordinate and communicate with ID and MD in order to create a flawless product.
Simply put, ID and MD are two bridge piers, while CMF is a bridge, and then they are connected together to form a cohesive whole, both playing inseparable roles.
Once you understand what CMF is and its relationship with ID and MD, it will be easier to interpret CMF design.
Firstly, let's take a look at the commonly used materials for CMF in product design?
Divided into five categories, including metal, plastic, wood, glass, and tarpaulin, which are the most commonly used and common in electronic products, this article focuses on the relationship between their CMF and structural design.
So why haven't other materials such as ceramics, stone, carbon fiber, etc. been included?
These materials are relatively rarely used in products and belong to the personalized market. They do not have the materials commonly used by electronic consumers, so we will not explain them in detail. After all, the information content of these five categories is already very large.
What are the effects of commonly used CMF materials and surface treatments on structural design?
So, next, let's explain in detail the impact of commonly used CMF materials and surface treatments on structural design. Let's see what surface treatments different materials can do, what their process effects are, and what impact they will ultimately have on structural design?

Firstly, let's take a look at the types of metal materials?

01. Stainless steel

Very common and commonly used, it can be used as a decorative piece on mobile phones or as a structural support bracket. It can be used as a speaker net or as a casing on the audio system. On a watch, it can be used as a watch chain, case, watch core, etc. It is also commonly used as an internal structural support or shell on household appliances such as TVs.

Stainless steel is divided into sheet metal and liquid metal types. Sheet metal is usually formed by stamping, stretching, and bending processes, with sheet thicknesses ranging from 0.05 to 8.0mm, which can be selected according to design requirements.

The commonly used process for liquid metal is MIM powder metallurgy, which can achieve a thickness of 0.3mm at the thinnest point.

In addition to the above two processing techniques, there are also two forming methods called hot forming and cold rolling, both of which are formed using sheet metal as the substrate. For example, watch cases and bracelets are usually made using these two processes, and then CNC machining is used for detail processing in the later stage to achieve the final appearance effect.

02. Aluminum

It is also a very popular and commonly used metal material, which is used in mobile phones, home appliances, speakers, flashboards, etc. It has a wide coverage and is favored by designers due to its high plasticity and moderate price.

Aluminum materials are divided into sheet metal, aluminum profiles, and aluminum alloy die-casting. Sheet metal, like stainless steel, is usually formed by stamping, stretching, and bending processes. The thickness of the sheet metal ranges from 0.05 to 8.0mm and can be selected according to design requirements.

Aluminum alloy profiles are mainly formed by extrusion. By heating aluminum rods and extruding them through molds, the thinnest extrusion thickness of aluminum profiles can reach 0.2mm. Of course, the thinner the profile, the more difficult the production process, and the weaker the product strength.

The aluminum alloy die-casting molding method is similar to the plastic mold molding method, both of which are formed through molds. Of course, die-casting molds are formed through casting, while different plastics are injection molded. However, there are still many similarities between the plasticity of finished products and plastics. The thinnest wall thickness of aluminum alloy can reach 0.5mm, and of course 0.4mm can also be made. Of course, the thinner it is, the more difficult the process is to produce, and the weaker the product strength. Try to avoid extreme design dimensions when designing.

03. Nickel

Nickel is mainly electroplated with nickel sheets, and is most commonly used on product logos and nameplates, or on speaker and earpiece screens on mobile phones. It is often used as a highlight decoration in product design and has the wonderful function of adding the finishing touch to the work. It is also highly favored by designers.

Nickel sheets are mainly formed by electroplating, which belongs to the physical deposition of electroplating. It is like a thin layer of iron ash slowly adsorbed on the surface of a magnet to form a uniform deposition layer, and then plated with a layer of chromium to form a layer of high gloss silver.

The thinnest nickel plate logo can reach 0.05mm, but the thinner it is, the more brittle it is and easy to break. The commonly used thickness is between 0.1-0.2mm, which can be defined according to design requirements.

04. Zinc

Zinc is mainly made of zinc alloy die-casting and is commonly used in mobile phone cases, door handles, display metal brackets, etc. Due to its high plasticity, good strength, and surface electroplating, it can be used not only for appearance but also for structural support, with high usability.

Zinc alloy die-casting is formed by the same method as aluminum alloy die-casting, through mold die-casting. However, zinc alloy has a higher density than aluminum alloy, so it has stronger rigidity and is also heavier. The thinnest wall thickness of zinc alloy is the same as that of aluminum alloy, both can reach 0.5mm, and its strength is good. If there are requirements for strength, zinc alloy material can be chosen. If the surface requirements are high and the strength is also good, it is best to choose liquid metal stainless steel MIM process for production. When designing and selecting, the choice should be based on the actual situation of the product.

05. Copper

Copper is still very rare for use in the appearance of consumer electronics products because it is more expensive than aluminum alloys and zinc alloys, and it is soft and has poor strength. Therefore, it is generally used in electronic devices and structural devices. However, handicrafts or products with rechecked designs often use copper alloys or pure copper CNC machining.

Copper is also divided into sheet metal and copper alloy types. Sheet metal is usually formed by stamping, stretching, and bending processes, with sheet thicknesses ranging from 0.05 to 8.0mm. The most common types are electronic components such as spring plates and copper foils used in electronic applications. Copper alloys are formed by die casting, hot forging, cold rolling, or extrusion, such as copper tubes, used for later copper nut production.

So in many high-end luxury consumer electronics industries, it is rare to see pure copper plated with gold for decoration, while mass consumer electronics are rare.

06. Galvanized sheet

Galvanized sheet metal is used in the automotive and home appliance industries TV、 The display industry is the most common, and due to its moderate material price and resistance to high and low temperature deformation, it is commonly used for large-area casings, such as microwave oven casings, washing machine casings, refrigerator casings, car casings, etc.

The most commonly used grades of galvanized sheet currently include SGCC immersion galvanized sheet and SECC electrolytic galvanized sheet. SECC has more stable mechanical properties than SGCC, is less prone to rebound and deformation, so its price is also higher. Usually, their forming process mainly involves stamping, stretching, and bending, with sheet thicknesses ranging from 0.1 to 8.0mm, which can be selected according to design requirements.

07. Online

The net is mainly made of pure steel mesh and formed steel mesh, commonly used on the shell of speakers such as audio equipment or mobile phones, for dust prevention, breathability, and sound output.

The material of the mesh is usually stainless steel mesh, iron mesh, and aluminum mesh, and the thinnest thickness of the material can reach 0.2mm. Of course, the thinner the thickness, the weaker the strength. The mesh size can be selected according to requirements, and the key is to choose the thickness and mesh size based on product applicability.

So next, let's take a look at what effects can be achieved by surface treatment of stainless steel materials?

01. Physical effect (mechanical effect)

The physical effect refers to the effect obtained by human or mechanical means to damage the surface, such as mechanical polishing, mechanical wire drawing, sandblasting, laser engraving, etc. The treated stainless steel surface can exhibit high brightness, matte effect, wire drawing effect, CD pattern effect, and the treated effect can be selected according to design requirements in terms of brightness, thickness, and depth.

02. Chemical effect

The chemical effect is the effect obtained by changing the surface properties of a product through chemical solutions, usually through etching, electroplating, electroplating, electrophoresis, and other methods. The surface can exhibit chemical treatment effects such as high brightness, matte finish, and depth and shade, and different surface colors can be produced according to design requirements.

03. Coating effect

The coating effect is to attach a layer of other material effects on the surface of the product, such as ink, paint, film, glue and other materials. The treatment process is divided into surface printing, surface painting, surface powder coating, surface peritoneum, surface glue and other treatment processes, which change the surface effect of the product through external materials. The surface can present different color effects and textures.