Ch24. Unwrapping CMF Design on the “F” Word
C is for color, M is for material, these are given. But what does “F” really mean?
As its verb suggests, finishing refers to the very last process, which is the surface treatment: gloss, pattern, texture, and even tactility can be included in the range of finishing. (中文版)
CMF is a specific discipline within industrial design that focuses on the development of a product’s color, material, and finish. Unwrap CMF shares bite-sized stories of CMF Design to inform and inspire those interested in this niche yet fascinating field, with digestible contents for anyone and everyone.
In Chapter 21, we briefly talked about patterns, which can be realized in productions via IMD, water-transfer, printing, and many more. In fact, just the gloss level alone, can be realized with a range of manufacturing processes, especially on different types of materials.
On uncoated plastic, via the fineness of the VDI texture and polishing, a contrasting finishing can be brought out directly in the tooling.
𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: VDI is short for Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (Association of German Engineers), but it is generally referred to the fineness of the mold texture by CMF and tooling industry.
With metal materials such as aluminum, sandblasting is a common method to add a satin surface. In contrast, a high-gloss finishing can be made via CNC diamond-cut process.
I’m sure everyone is already familiar with paint gloss. High-gloss paint flows fast and tends to produce fat edges where paint is gathered. Semi-gloss paint tends to produce orange-peel (see Chapter 1 to find photos of both).
Therefore, after defining the gloss level, it is necessary to work closely with the suppliers throughout trials to ensure the manufacturing processes have been optimized.
In addition, additive can be added in paint topcoat to make it feel like rubber or baby skin, which are categorized as “soft-touch paint”. There are also other types of additives that can bring out a variety of surface effects such as color-changing pearls or leather-like cracking texture.
Now you see, isn’t the “F” word a full world of itself!?
Enjoy learning? Use the CMF terminologies mentioned above and continue on with your own research journey on the web. Comments and inspirations are welcome!
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