IDMockup currently provides customers with various appearance effect choices to meet the diverse needs.
To provide high-quality products, many testing instruments and detection systems have been set up to maintain product quality!
Basic Surface Finishings
Plastics
- Painting / Powder Coating
- Gloss Paint / Matte Paint
- Texture Paint / Transparent Effect
- Metal Paint / Conductive Paint
- Texturing / Sandblasting / Brushing
- Electroplating
- Screen Printing / Water Transfer Printing
- Leather Wrapping / Cloth Wrapping
- Rubber Wrapping / Overmolding / Double Injection
- Hot Stamping
- Laser Etching
Spray 2K PU, acrylic paint or electrostatic spray polyester powder on the surface of plastic parts to form a 15-60 µm colored protective film. The powder forms a 60 µm film in one time, which is solvent-free and more environmentally friendly
.
Applicable materials : ABS, PC, PC/ABS, PBT, PA; PP/PE requires primer or corona activation
Advantages : Free color/gloss (can be matched with Pantone color number), weather resistance 500 h↑, easy to repair; high impact toughness of powder
Disadvantages : Need to bake at 120-160 °C (risk of thermal deformation), powder is not easy to control the edge of fine characters
By adjusting the ratio of solvent and matting agent, the same PU / UV Clear can get 95 GU mirror or < 10 GU velvet matte
.
Applicable materials : ABS, PC, PMMA, ASA, PC/ABS
Advantages : high-grade appearance, good leveling, matte can cover minor scratches
Disadvantages : glossy is afraid of fingerprints, matte is afraid of stains; baking paint increases the cycle
Add elastic particles (TPR / Silica) to the clear paint to make Soft-Touch; or add high cross-linking UV paint formula to make a 3H – 6H hardening layer
.
Applicable materials : ABS, PC/ABS, TPU (surface coating), PMMA
Advantages : soft and non-slip, sweat-resistant; hardening paint improves the scratch resistance of transparent parts
Disadvantages : Soft-Touch has poor chemical resistance; hardening paint requires UV equipment
PU paint containing aluminum powder, mica pearl or silver copper flakes; conductive paint plus carbon powder or nickel copper flakes, surface resistance < 50 Ω
.
Applicable materials : ABS, PC, PBT, PA
Advantages : mirror metal feel, no need for electroplating; conductive paint EMI shielding 60 dB↑
Disadvantages : Metallic paint requires varnish to prevent oxidation; conductive paint is expensive and easy to fall off
Chemical etching of molds, sandblasting of plastic parts or drawing with abrasive belts to obtain leather grain, fine sand grain and hair grain
.
Applicable materials : Almost all thermoplastics; PC/ABS, ABS Best
advantages : Covering injection flow marks, fingerprint resistance; No additional coating
Disadvantages : Modification requires re-moulding; Hair grain direction is fixed
Chemical copper activation → electroplating copper/nickel/chrome or vacuum PVD Al, thickness 0.3 – 20 µm
.
Applicable materials : ★ABS, ★PC/ABS; PC, PA, PBT can also be treated with plasma + primer.
Advantages : mirror finish, wear resistance, excellent metal texture; EMI conductivity
Disadvantages : hexavalent chromium environmental pressure; resulting in a 30–70 µm thicker size
Screen thick film ink or PAD prints curved surfaces; water transfer film + activator covers carbon fiber/camouflage patterns on three-dimensional parts
.
Applicable materials : ABS, PC/ABS, PA, PP (needs corona)
Advantages : multi-color LOGO, full-width pattern, large curved surface, one-time molding
Disadvantages : screen printing can only be flat/small curved surfaces; water transfer printing requires secondary varnish sealing
Hot-melt adhesive film + vacuum coating or Back-Injection
.
Applicable materials : base ABS, PC; covering layer cloth, PU leather, microfiber
Advantages : luxurious touch, breathable, heat insulation and noise reduction
Disadvantages : corners are prone to wrinkling; thermal cycle > 80 °C may cause delamination
Metal or hard plastic insert, second shot TPU/TPV; or 2-Shot hard PC + soft TPE
Applicable materials : PC+TPE, ABS+TPU, PA+TPV
Advantages : anti-slip, waterproof, shock absorption; structural strength + soft grip one-step molding
Disadvantages : complex mold, high injection equipment cost; limited compatible ingredients
120 – 160 °C, 2 – 5 bar Hot press transfer of metallic foils
Applicable materials : ABS, PC/ABS, PMMA, AS; PP must be primed
Advantages : mirror gold, silver, holographic rainbow; no heavy metal wastewater
Disadvantages : only flat or large curved surfaces; wear resistance is lower than electroplating
Optical fiber or UV laser vaporizes the surface to form permanent text, patterns or light-transmitting layer
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Applicable materials : ABS, PC, PA, PMMA (additives can improve the effect)
Advantages : No ink consumption, durable, precision 30 µm; icons can be backlit
Disadvantages : Disposable, cannot be changed in color; Dark plastic works best, light colors need to add laser masterbatch
Metals
- Painting
- Electroplating
- Anodization
- Coating / Electrophoretic Deposition
- Sandblasting / Brushing
- Screen Printing / Water Transfer Printing
- Overmolding
- Hot Stamping
- Laser Etching
- E-coat
After degreasing, sandblasting or chemical treatment, use a spray gun to evenly apply 20-40 µm color paint or clear paint on the metal surface, and bake at 80-160 °C or cure at room temperature
.
Applicable materials : aluminum alloy, stainless steel, carbon steel, zinc die-casting, magnesium alloy
Advantages : Highest freedom in color, gloss, and touch; simple tooling; partial repair
Disadvantages: Wear resistance and solvent resistance depend on the type of paint; uneven thickness or “orange peel” requires re-spraying; VOC emissions require equipment
Electrochemical or physical vapor deposition of 0.3-30 µm nickel, chromium, copper, DLC, TiN and other metal layers on the surface of metal parts to provide decoration and function
.
Applicable materials : zinc press-fit parts (easiest), steel, copper, aluminum (need zinc replacement layer), magnesium (need nickel sealing), stainless steel
Advantages : mirror metal texture, high hardness, wear resistance, conductive; PVD without hexavalent chromium
Disadvantages : high environmental pressure of plating solution, complex process; size plus 10-70 µm, need to design compensation
Aluminum or magnesium is used as anode to generate 5 – 25 µm Al₂O₃ in sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid tank. The porous layer can absorb dyes and seal the pores
.
Applicable materials : aluminum alloy (6xxx / 7xxx is best), magnesium alloy (micro-arc anode MAO is required)
Advantages : corrosion resistance, wear resistance, uniform color; does not increase the size, but shrinks within 2 µm
Disadvantages : only applicable to valve metals; hard anodes need to be rinsed and sealed at ≥ 60 °C, and the color is limited
Electrostatic spraying of polyester, epoxy-polyester or fluorocarbon powder, 180 °C × 10 min melt leveling once to form a film of 60–100 µm; or traditional baking acrylic paint
.
Applicable materials : aluminum, zinc, steel, stainless steel (phosphating required)
Advantages : thick film, UV resistance, impact resistance, covering corners; 100% utilization of powder, zero VOC
Disadvantages : high temperature baking has the risk of warping for thin aluminum parts; sharp edges of fine characters are easily covered by powder rounded corners
Use quartz sand, glass beads or scouring pads to roughen or brush metal linearly. Ra can be controlled to 0.6 – 4 µm
.
Applicable materials : All metals; Silicon carbide sand should be selected for steel with hardness HRC > 45.
Advantages : Remove knife marks, even matte, improve paint adhesion; brushed wire has high-grade hairline texture
Disadvantages : Miniaturized size; brushed wire has directionality and discontinuous corners; sand surface is easy to hide dirt
Screen printing thick film ink (or pad printing) prints logos and rulers on metal; water transfer uses PVA film + activator to transfer the entire surface pattern at one time
.
Applicable materials : aluminum, stainless steel, chrome-plated zinc parts (primer sprayed first); transfer requires spraying base color + glazing
Advantages : low screen printing cost and accurate color; water transfer can cover irregular surfaces, wood grain/carbon fiber patterns
Disadvantages : screen printing is limited by plane; water transfer requires secondary varnish sealing, and membrane interfaces are difficult to hide
Metal as insert, injection of TPU/TPE, hot melt adhesive pressurization or PU backfilling
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Applicable materials : base aluminum, stainless steel, zinc die casting; TPU, TPE, silicone rubber
Advantages : anti-slip, shockproof, sealing; metal strength + rubber feel
Disadvantages : metal needs to open back-holes, additional CNC cost; injection temperature above 200 °C has risks to the coating
First spray 10-20 µm transparent primer on the metal surface, and then heat-press transfer the gold/silver/holographic foil at 120-160 °C/2-5 bar
.
Applicable materials : anodized aluminum, stainless steel, nickel-zinc-plated parts
Advantages : mirror-like metallic luster, local decoration, no plating wastewater
Disadvantages : only suitable for flat or large curved surfaces; wear resistance is lower than electroplating and PVD
Use optical fiber, CO₂ or UV laser to vaporize the metal surface or induce oxidation to form a 30-300 µm deep intaglio or blackened mark
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Applicable materials : All metals; Anodized aluminum and blackened stainless steel are best
Advantages : Permanent, no fading, resolution < 30 µm; serial number, LOGO, anti-counterfeiting
Disadvantages : Cannot change color; Too strong may melt through thin walls or affect the coating
Connect the workpiece to the cathode or anode, apply 60-400 V in a water-based epoxy/acrylic tank, make the charged resin precipitate evenly and bake at 180 °C
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Applicable materials : carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, zinc die casting (pre-treatment phosphating/ceramicization)
Advantages : full coverage (including inner cavity), rust prevention 1 000 h+, film thickness controllable 10-25 µm ; can be used as primer and then sprayed with color paint
Disadvantages : only single color (black, gray); large equipment investment, pure water + wastewater treatment required
Basic processing Materials
Plastics
ABS is strong, durable, and offers good heat resistance and impact resistance, making it a popular plastic choice for general parts and consumer products.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- ABS (Natural/White/Black) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
- ABS+PC (Black/White) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
- ABS-like (Yellow-Green) – Suitable for SLA 3D printing.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 95-112°C.
◆ Advantages: Aesthetic appearance, reasonable cost, excellent electroplating properties, good low-temperature impact resistance, low shrinkage after molding, high dimensional accuracy, and good acid and alkali resistance.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor weather resistance, soluble in solvents.
PC (Polycarbonate) is highly durable, offering excellent impact resistance and good transparency.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- PC (Transparent/White/Black/Glass-Filled GF) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Self-extinguishing.
◆ Advantages: Tough and impact-resistant, excellent heat and cold resistance, high dimensional accuracy, strong stability, good weather resistance, and transparent.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor fatigue resistance, weak UV resistance, and weak alkali resistance.
PMMA (Acrylic) is renowned for its crystal-clear transparency and excellent weather resistance.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- PMMA (Transparent/White/Black) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 71-91°C.
◆ Advantages: Excellent transparency, high hardness, superior gloss, excellent weather resistance, good formability, and good electrical properties.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor impact resistance, easily scratched, and soluble in solvents.
POM (Polyoxymethylene) is known for its high strength, low surface friction, and excellent dimensional stability, making it ideal for precision mechanical components.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- POM (White/Black) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 160-170°C.
◆ Advantages: Strong and tough, flexible, excellent fatigue resistance, low friction, good chemical resistance, and superior heat resistance.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor UV resistance and weak resistance to strong acids.
Nylon (PA) is widely used for its strength and wear resistance, making it ideal for gears, bearings, and other high-wear surfaces.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- PA6 / PA12 / PA66 (Glass-Fiber available) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Self-extinguishing, deformation temperature around 127-182°C.
◆ Advantages: Strong, impact-resistant, low friction, excellent heat and cold resistance, good chemical resistance, and oil resistance.
◆ Disadvantages: High water absorption, poor dimensional stability, and weak resistance to strong acids.
PE (Polyethylene) is lightweight with excellent impact resistance, making it widely used in packaging containers.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- PE (Black/White) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 60-80°C.
◆ Advantages: Excellent impact resistance, hygienic and non-toxic, superior water resistance, good chemical resistance, and excellent electrical properties.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor heat resistance, weak weather resistance, and high shrinkage after molding.
PEEK is renowned for its high-temperature resistance and strength, making it commonly used in semiconductor, aerospace, and medical device manufacturing.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- PEEK (Natural/Black) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 200-316°C.
◆ Advantages: High-temperature resistance, excellent chemical resistance, radiation resistance, superior wear and friction resistance, high strength, excellent hydrolysis resistance, and good electrical insulation.
◆ Disadvantages: Low impact resistance, poor dimensional stability, and weak UV resistance.
PP (Polypropylene) is tough and offers excellent chemical resistance, making it commonly used in parts and packaging that come into contact with chemical solvents.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- PP (Black/White/Glass-Filled GF) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, and low-pressure casting.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 99-110°C.
◆ Advantages: Excellent hinge properties, good heat resistance, the lightest of all plastics, excellent electrical properties, and superior chemical resistance.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor impact resistance at low temperatures, and weak weather resistance.
HDPE is known for its high strength-to-density ratio and impact resistance, making it commonly used in bottles (including blow molding) and corrosion-resistant pipelines.
🔧 Common Material Options and Compatible Methods:
- HDPE (Black/White) – Suitable for CNC machining, vacuum casting, rapid tooling, low-pressure casting, and blow molding.
⚙️ Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Combustible, deformation temperature 60-82°C.
◆ Advantages: Excellent impact resistance, hygienic and non-toxic, superior water resistance, good chemical resistance, and excellent electrical properties.
◆ Disadvantages: Poor heat resistance, weak weather resistance, and high shrinkage after molding.
Rubber is valued for its flexibility and shock-absorbing properties, making it ideal for products like seals or gaskets that need to withstand continuous bending and pressure. We can also adjust the hardness of the rubber to meet specific requirements.
Bakelite is a high-hardness, heat-resistant thermosetting plastic known for its excellent insulation and chemical resistance. It is commonly used to produce electrical components (such as switches and sockets) and mechanical parts, especially in environments that require heat resistance and insulation.
🔧Common Material Options and Compatible Processes:
Bakelite – CNC machining, compression molding
⚙️Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Flammable, deformation temperature 150-200°C
◆ Advantages: High heat resistance, excellent insulating properties, strong chemical resistance, dimensional stability
◆ Disadvantages: High brittleness, prone to cracking, non-recyclable, challenging to process
Teflon is a thermoplastic material with exceptional chemical stability, known for its high-temperature resistance and extremely low friction coefficient. It is widely used in applications requiring high chemical resistance, such as corrosion-resistant pipe linings, seals, and insulation layers.
🔧Common Material Options and Compatible Processes:
Teflon (PTFE) – CNC machining, turning, compression molding, machining
⚙️Basic Material Properties:
◆ Flammability: Non-flammable, continuous use temperature range from -200 to 260°C
◆ Advantages: Excellent high-temperature resistance, extremely low friction coefficient, strong chemical stability, non-absorbent, excellent electrical insulation
◆ Disadvantages: Difficult to mold and process, low rigidity, limited load-bearing capacity, high thermal expansion coefficient
Metals
Aluminum is lightweight yet strong, easy to machine, and corrosion-resistant, making it ideal for aerospace and automotive applications where lightweight components are essential.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- AL6061 – Heat-treatable corrosion-resistant alloy, good machinability, and weldability.
- AL6063 – Extrusion alloy, lower strength.
- AL5052 – Medium-strength alloy, good machinability, excellent fatigue resistance, and high resistance to seawater corrosion.
- AL5083 – High magnesium content, high hardness, and excellent seawater corrosion resistance.
- AL7075 – High strength and hardness, good mechanical properties, and excellent anodizing response.
- ADC 6, 10, 12 – Common aluminum casting alloys.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining, EDM, aluminum extrusion, aluminum die casting
Zinc offers excellent corrosion resistance, good fluidity, and is easy to machine with CNC. It is often alloyed with other metals for casting.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- Zamak 3 – Good mechanical properties, excellent fluidity, the top choice for die casting.
- Zamak 5 – Good mechanical properties and fluidity.
- Zamak 2 – Good mechanical properties, the hardest of the group, but lower dimensional accuracy.
- ZA-8, 12, 27 – Zinc-aluminum alloys, offering high hardness, wear resistance, and deformation resistance.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining, EDM, metal extrusion, metal die casting
Copper is renowned for its excellent electrical conductivity and thermal properties, making it widely used in electrical components. Bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) offers high corrosion resistance and fatigue strength, commonly used in bearings, bushings, and marine hardware. Brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) is durable with a low friction coefficient, ideal for high-precision components and tools.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- C1100 (Pure Copper) – High electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, ductility, corrosion resistance, and weather resistance.
- C17300 (Beryllium Copper) – High heat resistance, ductility before heat treatment, mechanical strength and fatigue resistance after heat treatment, and good electrical conductivity.
- C2700 (Brass) – Good cold forging ability, ductility, suitable for mechanical parts.
- C5191/C5441 (Bronze) – Excellent fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance.
- C6782 (Brass) – Good hot forging ability, high strength, and corrosion resistance.
- ZQA19-2, 4, 7, 10 – Suitable for copper die casting.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining, EDM
Aluminum-magnesium alloys offer the same strength and hardness as steel but are much lighter, comparable to plastic. With excellent thermal conductivity, they are commonly used in heat-dissipating electronic devices and enclosures.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- AZ31 – Offers shock resistance, heat absorption, and oil resistance.
- AZ61 – Lighter than AZ31, contains higher aluminum content.
- AZ91D – The most common magnesium alloy, featuring high strength and good casting performance.
- AM60B – In addition to high strength and casting performance, it has good ductility and shock absorption.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining
Stainless steel is renowned for its corrosion resistance and is commonly used in medical devices, robotics, and automated processing equipment.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- SUS304, 316 – High hardness and corrosion resistance, resistant to rust, commonly used in food-grade and medical-grade applications.
- SUS201 – Basic hardness and corrosion resistance, prone to rusting.
- SUS420, 430, 431 – Basic hardness and corrosion resistance, but magnetic.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining, EDM
Titanium boasts the highest strength-to-density ratio among metals and offers excellent corrosion and fatigue resistance, making it commonly used in aerospace, medical devices, and equipment tools.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- TA1 / TA2 (Commercially Pure Titanium) – Similar mechanical and chemical properties to stainless steel but with lower strength; easy to form, stamp, and weld, with excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance.
- TC4 / Ti-6Al 4V (Titanium Alloy) – Suitable for forging, stamping, and welding, offering excellent heat resistance and corrosion resistance.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining, EDM
Silicon carbide (SiC) boasts hardness second only to diamond, with excellent wear resistance, high-temperature tolerance, corrosion resistance, and superior thermal conductivity. It is commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing components, refractory plates, and ceramic bearings.
🔧 Common Material Options and Basic Properties:
- SiC – High hardness and wear resistance, stable chemical and mechanical properties, low energy consumption, and high power efficiency.
- AlSiC – Lightweight like aluminum but with bending strength similar to steel, excellent shock resistance, and high thermal conductivity with low thermal expansion.
⚙️ Applicable Processing Methods (not all materials are compatible with every method):
◆ Common machining methods: CNC machining, EDM.
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