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HOW LACQUERING ENHANCES ENCLOSURES AND TUNING KNOBS

Specifying lacquering services for enclosures and tuning knobs

LACQUERING – THE SMART WAY TO ENHANCE LOOK AND FEEL

Some electronic devices exude quality the moment you see them. And that reassuring feeling continues when you pick them up and handle them. You know instinctively when a product looks and feels right, when it’s a cut above the rest.

Much of that will be down to the design of the enclosure and also the plastic(s) used to mold it. After all, some plastics look and feel tougher and more resilient than others. But maybe there’s something else at play…

Perhaps the plastic has been enhanced with lacquering. What was once an off-the-shelf plastic is suddenly transformed by a makeover that adds extra cachet. A little judicious lacquering can make your product look and feel even more desirable than it already is.

Soft-touch lacquering of enclosures and knobs

NEW SOFT-TOUCH TRANSPARENT LACQUERING FOR ENCLOSURES AND TUNING KNOBS

Ergonomics is everything when it comes to enclosures and potentiometer knobs, especially where handheld or wearable devices are concerned. Your products must be comfortable to hold and operate. Hence all the contoured corners and sleek modern lines on today’s standard enclosures.

However, their standard finishes can be further enhanced with lacquering. And now we’ve added a new transparent velvet-style lacquer to our range. Soft-touch lacquering was already available in a black finish. Specify the black soft-touch lacquer and it can be added directly to the primer, speeding up the customization process.

But if you opt instead for the new transparent finish, there’s no limit to the colors you can choose. Simply select a color according to its RAL code or Pantone shade. Or the finish can be color-matched to a sample you provide. The final step in the process is to apply the transparent soft-touch lacquer, achieving a unique finish in your preferred color. It’s as easy as that.

Metallic lacquering of enclosures and tuning knobs

DEGREES OF LUSTRE, METALLIC LACQUERS

There are different benefits to be gained from specifying a different degree of lustre from the one offered by an unlacquered plastic enclosure. Matt lacquer prevents undesirable light reflections, adding further discretion to an already understated design.

Meanwhile, glossy lacquers look elegant and very modern. Check out the high-gloss finish on enclosures such as STYLE-CASE. Its glossiness comes as standard – it’s molded in as part of the ASA (or PMMA) plastic. But if the enclosure model you want doesn’t feature that glossy look, then you have only to specify it as a custom lacquer.

And then there are metallics (and other color tones) which open up a world of choice, giving you the option of adding a ‘metal’ look at a sensible price point. Sometimes less is more – adding metallic highlights to trims or tuning knobs can look more effective than lacquering large areas of plastic in a metal finish.

Aside from adding aesthetic excellence, lacquers also serve other important purposes:

  • antibacterial lacquer stops bacteria from settling and multiplying – providing added protection for devices used in hospitals, surgeries and care homes
  • ESD conductive lacquer (available in black) prevents electrostatic discharges.

WHICH OKW ENCLOSURES AND TUNING KNOBS CAN BE LACQUERED?

Most OKW enclosures can be specified with custom lacquering. Notable exceptions are BODY-CASE, IN-BOX, PLUG CASES, POTTING BOXES DUROPLASTIC, SMART-BOX, SMART-PANEL, SOLID-BOX and SYNERGY. When it comes to tuning knobs, lacquering is available only for our STAR-KNOBS and COM-KNOBS ranges.

IN-HOUSE LACQUERING AT OKW VIDEO

At OKW, we carry out the lacquering work in-house. We’re a single-source supplier, responsible for the entire manufacturing and customization process. This speeds up production, reduces shipping times, and cuts out unnecessary administration. And best of all, it ensures that we’re solely accountable for the quality of the finished product from start to finish.

We use high-quality UV-resistant two-component lacquers. Typically, the process starts with surface preparation. The plastic must be thoroughly cleaned and free from dust, grease or any other contaminants that could affect adhesion. The lacquer is then sprayed on. Spraying atomizes the coatings into fine droplets, providing even coverage.

After application, the lacquer needs to cure. Curing time and temperature depend on the type of lacquer used. Once the curing is complete, we carry out quality control checks to ensure the coating meets the required standards for appearance and functionality.

Soft-touch lacquering of enclosures and tuning knobs

WHICH PLASTICS CAN BE LACQUERED?

Not all plastics take to lacquering but ABS – once the ‘go to’ thermoplastic for enclosures – responds well. UV-stable ASA can also be lacquered, reacting much better than polyolefins (such as polyethylene and polypropylene) that have a low surface energy and are chemically inert. Polycarbonate is another plastic that can be lacquered effectively.

PMMA is compatible with many lacquers. It’s unusual for customers to want to lacquer PMMA because this plastic tends to be specified for infrared applications such as wireless remote controls. But it’s still good to know that you can lacquer PMMA on those rare occasions that it may be required.

HOW MUCH DOES LACQUERING COST?

Lacquering costs can vary depending on several factors, including the size and complexity of the parts to be lacquered, the type of lacquer used, the surface preparation required and the production volume.

The cost of the lacquer itself can vary based on its formulation and brand. Special lacquers, such as those with high chemical resistance or UV protection, may be more expensive than standard options. Compliance with environmental regulations can also affect costs.

As with so many aspects of manufacturing, the cost per unit decreases with larger production volumes due to economies of scale. Higher production volumes can help to spread fixed costs over more units, making the process more cost-effective.

View lacquering service >>

OKW's full enclosures customizing services

OTHER CUSTOMIZATION SERVICES

Lacquering is one of many customization services we offer. Others include:

  • CNC machining – milling, tapping, engraving, countersinking and cutting
  • printing of legends, logos and photo-quality graphics
  • laser marking – recommended for QR codes, barcodes, DataMatrix codes and sequential numbering
  • decor foils – digitally printed in photo quality, with cutouts for displays or LEDs
  • Shielding – in-house vapour-plating with 99.98% pure aluminum to safeguard electronics from RFI/EMI
  • installation/assembly of accessories.

View all customizing services >>

FURTHER READING

GET EXPERT TECHNICAL ADVICE

Contact OKW for specialist advice on specifying the best standard or customized enclosures and tuning knobs for your electronics. Don’t forget to request a sample.