Graphics process creates wood, marble, and other decorative effects on powder-coated aluminum
This article explains how a patented graphics system, obtained through powder coating and a heat transfer process, reproduces wood, marble, and fancy effects on complex aluminum profiles for indoor and outdoor windows, doors, furniture, frames, showers, and accessories. Pressure, temperature, and timing combine to print inks on film, penetrating the coating layer for long service life and color resistance under severe conditions. The company manufactures, supplies, and licenses turnkey plants worldwide.
People have used wood in numerous ways over the centuries. However, so much use of wood has put a lot of strain on the forests and the environment throughout many parts of the world. For a long time, manufacturers have been using aluminum profiles and sheets for many applications. Unfortunately, the products they produce don’t have the beauty of wood and must be painted for decorative effects. The desire to reproduce the beauty of the wood-grain effect on aluminum has always been a target of the finishing industry; however, reproducing it has had some problems, such as the high costs of the coatings, the poor resistance of the coatings to ultraviolet light, the restrictions of coatings applications on part dimensions, the need for a protective overcoat, and so on.