Metal Label Coloring Process With Baked Epoxy Paint
One of the technical details behind the 30-year indelibility guarantee on acid-etched labels is the type of paint used. An ordinary paint, even if filled into the recesses, can crack and flake off over the years; that's why baked epoxy paint has become the industry standard.
What Is Baked Epoxy Paint?
Unlike paints that dry at room temperature, baked epoxy paints are cured by baking at high temperature (typically in the 150-200°C range). This heat treatment hardens the paint's molecular structure, dramatically increasing both its adhesion to the metal and its chemical and mechanical resistance.
Why Is It Especially Suited to Acid-Etched Recesses?
The micro-recesses formed during acid etching act as a mechanical "lock" for the paint to grip onto. When baked epoxy paint is filled into these recesses, it forms not just a surface coating, but a permanent color layer embedded within the recess. Once the excess surface paint is cleaned off, only the paint inside the recess remains, giving a smooth appearance flush with the metal surface.
Durability Properties of Baked Epoxy Paint
- Chemical Resistance: Highly resistant to thinner, gasoline, oil and industrial solvents.
- UV Resistance: Fades far more slowly than standard paints under sunlight.
- Temperature Tolerance: Retains its structure even in high-temperature environments such as furnaces and reactors.
- Mechanical Wear Resistance: Significantly more resistant to friction and impact than standard paints.
Color Options
Besides classic tones like black and white, the baked epoxy paint system can also be prepared in custom RAL color codes to match your corporate logo. For multi-color graphic and logo requests, a separate masking and baking stage is applied for each color.
Why Does Baking Time Matter?
The paint needs to be baked at the right temperature for a sufficient time to fully cure. If the time is too short, the paint stays soft and is weak against scratching. That's why every batch goes through a post-production quality check.
Our quality control does not ship a product until both the color and hardness of the paint meet standard.
To share your color and appearance preferences, you can speak with our graphic team and request a free digital preview.