How to identify painting or plating finish for metal eyewear?

During the metal eyewear production, the last producing process is painting or plating finish.

Painting or Plating finish is to spray or plating a layer of protective material on the metal eyewear; it can make the metal eyewear more beautiful, shiny, and more anti-corrosion.

How to identify the metal eyewear is painting or plating finish?

Generally, metal eyewear plating only three types: gold, silver, and gun with various colors such as light, middle, and dark colors.
电镀系列副本

Except for gold, silver, and gun, all other metal eyewear colors are panting finish.
To take an example, Black, White, Red, Blue, Green, Purple, Yellow etc…
These metal eyewear colors are all painting finished.
喷色系列副本
Compared with painting metal eyewear, plating metal eyewear plating layer is more firm and compact.

How to buy high quality metal eyewear?

Choosing the perfect metal eyewear is not easy; learn how to buy high quality metal eyewear is very necessary. Following points to help consumers understand more about high quality metal eyewear.
metal eyewear 1
High quality metal eyewear features
(1) Perfect surface finish
(2)Coating layers perfect firmness
(3) Welding perfect firmness
(4) Assembly perfect and high precision
(5) Anti-corrosion. High oxidation resistance and high corrosion resistance
Low quality metal eyewear does not shine, corrosion resistance is not good.
Metal eyewear
Low quality metal eyewear features:
(1) Material hardness is not enough
(2) Metal eyewear arms bending easily broken
(3) Weld is not strong, easy weld removal
(4) Surface roughness and graceful
(5) Low assembly accuracy, different sizes on left-right rims

How to identify pure titanium or titanium alloy metal eyewear?

In the earlier days, pure titanium metal eyewear processing is major on pure titanium, but in order to greatly pursue metal eyewear strength, flexibility, and improving welding difficulty grade, other metal elements such as aluminum, vanadium, molybdenum are added in pure titanium metal eyewear.
metal eyewear
As pure titanium metal eyewear processing techniques and workmanship are difficult, titanium metal eyewear is high valued-added and sells much expensive than normal metal eyewear and has becoming the fashion trends, pure titanium is one favorite eyewear material now widely used in optical frame and sunglasses model. Refers to pure titanium metal eyewear, it means titanium components reaches to 99% or more. It has some difficulties in machining processing, welding, electroplating and so on, so the pure titanium application is subject to certain restraint.

In order to identify pure titanium and titanium alloy metal eyewear, consumers can refer to the below two points.

Pure titanium metal eyewear was marked with the abbreviations or full name in the frame, usually on the temples or on demo lens. It marked “Ti” “Ti-P” or “ Pure Titannium” or “Titannium”.
metal eyewear.
Usually, titanium alloy metal eyewear was marked with abbreviations in the frame, on the temples or on demo lens. It marked β-Ti or β-Titanium.

Why pure titanium metal eyewear is favorite?

Pure Titanium metal eyewear light weight, generally, pure Titanium metal eyewear 48% lighter than ordinary metal eyewear.
metal eyewear.

Pure Titanium is a kind of very special metal material which is widely used on space exploration, ship building and human’s medicine instrument, pure Titanium metal eyewear has good anti-corrosion feature.

Pure Titanium metal eyewear high toughness, high stability which anti acid and alkali liquid.
metal eyewear
Pure Titanium metal eyewear friendly to human’s body. Its surface can do colorful anodized finish.

With people’s living standards and technology improving, pure Titanium metal eyewear is becoming more and popular because of its excellent performance. pure Titanium is one kind favorite material which is widely used in various optical frame and sunglasses styles.

Nickel release test for metal eyewear

Nickel release test principles

Put tested metal eyewear sample into in artificial sweat for 7 days, using the atomic absorption or inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy dissolved concentrations of nickel. Nickel emissions are represented by μg/c㎡/week.
01
Test reagents
All reagents for analytical purity or higher level and contains without nickel. Demonized water, sodium chloride, DL-lactic acid, urea, ammonia, nitric acid, degreasing solution.
02
Pretreatment equipment
PH meter, thermostatic water bath.
Metal eyewear sample pretreatment

Preparation of test solution
Artificial sweat test solution consists of demonized water and contain: 0.5% sodium chloride, lactic acid, 0.1% urea, ammonia 1%.Before use, ensure that the pH of the solution within the 6.40~6.60.The test solution should be used within 3 hours of preparation.

Release procedures
The metal eyewear sample is put in brackets and suspended in test container. Adding a certain amount of approximately 1mL/c test solution to test square meters area.
Suspension metal eyewear sample shall be completely immersed in the test solution. Note the sample size and the volume of the test solution. Test liquid tightly closed containers to prevent evaporation. Smoothly and keep the container in a constant temperature water bath (30 ± 2) ℃, 168H, don’t stir.

After 7 days, take out of metal eyewear samples from test liquid,clean with a small amount of demonized water, will join the test with a clean solution. transfer to a volumetric flask of appropriate volume of test solution. In order to prevent the dissolution of nickel deposits added to the test solution dilute nitric acid and deionized water, its sizing to the nitric acid contains about 1% after the score.

At least do 2 set of the same metal eyewear samples.

Blank test
Repeat the blank test should be carried out in parallel with the test samples. Use the same container and bracket, the same program, Captain no sample in the container. Using the same amount of test liquid, washing liquid and dilute nitric acid.

Sample test
Instrument
Atomic absorption spectrometers.
Method
Place the flask in an atomic absorption spectrometer, atomic absorption spectrometers the wavelength adjustable to 232.0nm, spectral bandwidth: 0.2nm, record the nickel concentration in the solution.
Count
Metal eyewear sample nickel release rate d, represent as (μg/c㎡/week), according to the following formula:
d = V(C1-C2)/1000A
V – the volume of the test solution, mL
C1 – 7 days after the nickel content of the test solution, μ g/l
C2 – 7 days after the nickel content of the blank test solution, μ g/l
A – sample surface area c㎡.
Calculation result to two decimal places.

Calculate d multiplied by 0.1-adjusted rate of nickel release test results. If test result more than 0.5μg/c㎡/week, can verify that the nickel release rate exceed of standard.

Why some metal eyewear cause wearer skin allergy?

In the daily life, why some metal eyewear cause wearer skin allergy?
01副本
It is mostly associated with excessive release of heavy metals elements in low quality metal eyewear. Especially nickel release harmful to the environment and human health. However, low quality metal eyewear adopts low cost of nickel plating.

For daily life, low quality metal eyewear in contact with the skin for a long time, wearers sweat cause nickel elements high erosion activity, the nickel cause skin allergy.
02副本
Release amount of nickel had become a topic of concern in the field of metal eyewear product quality. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and European Organization for Standardization (CEN) have strict management measures on the release amount of nickel.

This article studies the nickel release test methods, reference for related metal eyewear wearers and eyewear companies to reduce low quality metal eyewear harm to people.

Why Metal eyewear can’t contain nickel?

Nickel is a heavy metal elements likely cause of allergy in human’s skin. Medical observation proves that long-term exposure to nickel-containing objects can cause skin allergies and even cancer. Excessive amount release of nickel in metal eyewear can result in harm to human health. International Organizations and the European standardization organization (CEN) have strict management measures on this. 01

EU countries have strict rules and standards for metal eyewear. Metal eyewear won’t allow to sale to consumers with excessive nickel release amount. In June 1994, EU issued a 94/27/EC directive, providing standard for release amount of nickel. In July 1997, the EU released 3 harmonized standards, defines the method of a qualitative analysis of nickel amount of release. ISO/TS24348 method for detection of nickel release in 2007 of the officially promulgated, which expressly provides that: Metal eyewear with the wearer’s skin and prolonged exposure to nickel and alloy components of release amount shall less than 0.5μg/c㎡/week.

To be issued by the ISO12312-1 of the sunglasses are a direct reference to the provisions and requirements: Sunglasses designer and manufacturer shall not endanger the health or safety of the wearer, and should minimize the risk of possible damage the wearer’s skin by the lens or frame material. 02

Korea technical standards (KATS) published belongs to the proposed modifications to the safety and quality mark for industrial products, this proposal seeks to amend the safety and quality standard in sunglasses and optical fame, the release of nickel for sunglasses and optical frame to adjust to less than 0.5μg/c㎡/week.

From the current status, Chinese eyewear products accounted for more than 70% of the world’s total eyewear production amount, and exports more than 60% to the international eyewear market. However many domestic manufacture of metal eyewear adopts low cost of nickel plating.
Since International Organizations (ISO) and the European standardization organization (CEN) have new stringent requirements of release amount of nickel, which brought a great impact on domestic eyewear industry, it becomes necessary for well understanding production method for the detection of nickel release.03

As a professional metal eyewear manufacturer, we adhere to the ISO and European Organization for Standardization (CEN), we cooperate with quality electroplating factory and signed contracts and agreements related to the nickel release test. Each batch of metal eyewear should pass through the nickel release test.

Why the Titanium eyewear is expensive?

Titanium eyewear is in fashion now, because titanium eyewear has many excellent properties

1, light weight, about 40% lighter than stainless steel eyewear and nickel silver eyewear.

2, High hardness, about twice hardness to other metal eyewear such as stainless steel eyewear and four times hardness to ordinary nickel silver eyewear, In the cryogenic world, titanium eyewear has become more hard, and have the properties of superconductors, the stainless steel eyewear becomes weak and incompetent.
Titanium

3, Corrosion-resistant, won’t rust. Titanium eyewear won’t rust soak in the sea water for 5 years, stainless steel eyewear must corrosion in sea water.

4, Touches and feeling good, Titanium eyewear warm and silky to the touching, other metal eyewear has cold metallic feeling.

5, No skin allergy, titanium eyewear does not produce allergic reactions to humans skins, also titanium is used in human body, such as artificial teeth, artificial bones.

Titanium eyewear because of its light weight, corrosion resistance, and non-allergic quality features has becomes a new trend. But compared to other metal eyewear, acetate eyewear, titanium eyewear price is much higher.

Why the Titanium eyewear is expensive?
Titanium2

One reason is the current titanium raw material costs are too high

The other reason is the production of titanium metal frames is very complex

The production of titanium eyewear requires special processing equipment, special welding technology and electroplating technology, many high difficult and different processes with normal metal eyewear, so it with high production costs.

With the emergence of new titanium eyewear production equipment, as well as the improvement of industry production and processing technology, titanium eyewear will become lower prices to a wider people.

How to fix broken metal eyewear?

Metal eyewear is completed by using the welding machine, with about 40% to 69% the purity of silver brazing wire welding. Welding group main process: welding rim lock→ open rim lock→ welding metal bridge →welding cross bridge→ welding nose arm→ welding hinge→ welding spring hinge box→ welding frame, What can we do if any part of metal eyewear was broken?
Metal eyewear1

During the metal eyewear producing process, the metal eyewear was welded in the mould. The mould main function is to ensure accurate position of welding on metal frame. The welding machine through instant high temperature to melt metal and put pressure on the two metal parts together and so it does not harm the original shape.
Metal eyewear2

Generally, weld broken metal eyewear almost belonged to damaged, It is not to say cannot rework the welding, but it will completely destroyed plating layer when welding, it is hard to weld in a daily environment, even if reluctantly welding, the plating was damaged and the metal frame will lost the original shape.