Manufacturing Process of Enameled Products
"Providing good products"
is the mission of TAKARA STANDARD's factory.
We regarded contributing to the improvement of everyone's quality of life as our top priority. In our quest, we came across an unprecedented material: a high-quality enamel.
Only enameled products can provide the unprecedented comfortable feeling.
To manufacture the enamel products to be "loved" by customers all the time, TAKARA STANDARD gives the utmost importance to the quality of products. We also believe in the power of experienced human workers. They actually check the products with their eyes and hands for quality, then finalizing the products.
The flow of each manufacturing process is similar to handing a relay baton from person to person. During the process, products in progress are moved from person to person to finalize them. Many workers involved in finalizing the products and can maintain high quality.
Enamel is like a form of living being. The processing conditions need adjustments depending on the environmental factors such as temperature and humidity for working time. Fine adjustments to such subtle changes during daily work is possible only by operators rather than machines.
"Providing reliable quality products"
This mission is essential for manufacturing the products to be "loved" by customers indefinitely.
The enameled products have reasons to be "loved" all the time.
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What is enamel?
Enamel is a dreamy integration of steel and vitreous material, taking full advantage of both the former's strength and the latter's beauty; it is manufactured by baking vitreous glaze sprayed on the surface of steel, aluminum and others.
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What most influences the quality of enamel?
The "high-quality enamel" developed by TAKARA STANDARD is an unprecedented, unique material, characteristic of high technologies shown in the above Point 1 and 2.
Manufacturing process of enameled products
Steel sheet
processing
The steel sheet is processed according to applications and is welded by robots.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
The steel sheet is processed into complicated shapes by experienced operators rather than robots.
Pretreatment
To increase adhesion between steel sheet and vitreous glaze, the steel sheet undergoes the following process: "degreasing -> pickling -> nickel deposition -> neutralization", before enameling process.
[Degreasing]
Oils adhering to the steel plate are removed.
[Pickling]
The steel sheet is dipped in sulfuric acid to increase micro-roughness on its surface, which expands the contact area with vitreous glaze, thereby making strong adhesion between steel sheet and glaze.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
The steel sheet is the most suitable for enameling, jointly developed with specialized manufacturer. It is easy to make micro-roughness on its surface, helps reduce foaming, and improves its adhesion to glaze, enhancing the quality of enamel.
Pretreatment
Larger height differences increase the contact area between steel sheet and glaze, thus enhancing adhesion.
[Nickel deposition]
Nickel is deposited on the steel plate to chemically enhance the adhesion between steel plate and glaze.
[Neutralization]
Both pickling and nickel deposition are acid liquids. To prevent rust in acid, the steel sheet is neutralized in alkaline liquids.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
Nickel concentration method and its deposition time and temperature are TAKARA STANDARD's unique technologies with our wealth of expertise.
Manufacturing of Glaze
[Formulation / Mixing of Frits]
Glaze is a ground coat consisting of a mixture of glass powders and additives. The compositions of glaze (silica, feldspar, borax, soda ash, etc.) are formulated and mixed at an appropriate ratio.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
Formulation of glaze's compositions is an important process that determines the quality of enamel. Approximately 600 unique formulation methods are available to match the specifications (performance, color, gloss, productivity, etc.) depending on products and applications. The enamel of brighter colors such as pastels requires a higher level of technical skills for coloring by confining metal ions in glass and forming crystals.
Manufacturing of Glaze
[Fusing of frit]
The mixed frit compositions are fused at 1200-1300 degrees. Two manufacturing methods are mainly available. The frit mass production uses "continuous fusing furnace", whereas the batch production for manufacturing various kinds and small quantity of frits uses "crucible furnace". Frit is a vitreous substance manufactured by rapidly cooling and milling the fused compositions.
Manufacturing of Glaze
[Milling of frit]
After adding clay, water, various chemicals etc., the frit is finely crushed to form muddy glaze.
Application of Glaze
(enameling)
Glaze is uniformly sprayed on the pretreated steel sheet. Then, the steel sheet is dried sufficiently to remove moisture before baking. If the glaze wet with moisture is put in the furnace, its uniform coating is destroyed.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
Glaze application is a process that determines the quality of enamel, involving visual checking and spraying glaze uniformly to the steel plate, which is TAKARA STANDARD's unique technology.
Depending on the shape and size of product parts, the glaze application involves a variety of methods: "electrostatic method" where high voltages are applied to the glaze to enable electrical adhesion to the steel sheet; "spray method" where spray guns are used; "dipping method" where the steel sheet is directly dipped in the glaze.
Baking of Glaze
The glaze is baked in a firing furnace at about 850 degrees.
Fusing the milled glaze forms crystals in the glaze coating and increases gloss, providing enamel with a smooth vitreous surface.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
Stringent management has been carried out of baking temperatures by adjusting temperatures for each color and others methods.
Assembly / Inspection / Packaging / Delivery
Each baked part undergoes a stringent inspection such as checking of enamel coating thickness and color difference measurement. TAKARA STANDARD's enamel, used in a variety of parts and materials, is assembled and cut according to applications, and turned into final products. After inspection/packaging, they are delivered to customers.
"TAKARA STANDARD's technology"
Many workers are engaged in assembling end-products. After checking with their hands or eyes, they will deliver the products, which are only reliable and good-quality.
TAKARA STANDARD's high quality enameled products have a variety of applications:
kitchen, range hood, kitchen panel, washstand, wall panel of system bath, interior/exterior material, and others.
The enameled products are excellent in cleanability and durability with longer cleanness.
The attractive feature of enamel is essential for manufacturing the products to be "loved" by customers indefinitely.
"Providing reliable quality products"
TAKARA STANDARD will continue to grow to fulfill this mission in the future.