In the field of 3C product surface finishing, tactile experience has become a key differentiator. Ceramic‑touch finishes, valued for their warm, skin‑friendly feel and anti‑fingerprint properties, are increasingly favored by top brands. Ergutech's excimer UV system has helped multiple coating manufacturers achieve stable mass production of this effect. Several representative cases are presented below.
About the Process: Three‑Stage Synergistic Curing
The core of the ceramic‑touch effect lies in a nano‑scale wrinkled structure on the coating surface. Ergutech's excimer UV system integrates an LED lamp, a 254nm excimer lamp, and a mercury lamp to perform three sequential stages:
LED lamp – pre‑positions the coating for initial setting.
254nm excimer lamp – induces selective crosslinking on the coating surface, generating nano‑scale wrinkles.
Mercury lamp – completes deep curing of the entire coating.
The excimer irradiation reduces the 60° gloss to 1–3°, delivering a warm, matte, ceramic‑like feel, while also providing anti‑fingerprint and sweat‑corrosion resistance. This process achieves physical matting without matting agents, avoiding the performance inconsistencies often seen in traditional matte coatings.
Case 1: A Mobile Phone Structural Parts Coating Plant in Dongguan – Mass Production Breakthrough of Ceramic‑Touch Effect
This customer is a second‑tier supplier for a leading domestic mobile phone brand, coating rear covers for several mid‑to‑high end models. Previously, the customer used a conventional matte UV coating with a gloss of around 15–20°, a dry texture, and insufficient anti‑fingerprint performance – end users reported obvious fingerprint residue.
We integrated an LY‑series excimer UV system at the end of their existing coating line, applying the three‑stage process: LED pre‑positioning, 254nm excimer irradiation, and mercury lamp deep curing. After process tuning, the 60° gloss was stably controlled at 2–3°, and the surface texture changed from dry to smooth and warm. The coating passed a 72‑hour sweat resistance test without noticeable corrosion or discoloration. Fingerprint residue area decreased from approximately 8% to below 2%, and fingerprints dissipated noticeably faster after casual touching.
Case 2: A Precision Coating Company in Huizhou – Extension to Automotive Interiors and Electronics
This customer's business covers mobile phone housings, tablet back covers, and automotive interior panels, with high requirements for abrasion resistance and anti‑soiling properties. Their original UV curing system used a single‑stage mercury lamp, resulting in a relatively smooth surface. Even with an anti‑fingerprint topcoat, the effect was limited, and the surface felt slippery when held.
After introducing the Ergutech excimer UV system, the customer expanded their product portfolio from consumer electronics to automotive interior components. They reported that the excimer‑treated coating not only felt more delicate but also showed improved scratch resistance. Coating hardness reached at least 2H, and the anti‑scratch performance met daily use requirements. On automotive interior panels, the previously problematic fingerprint attraction was significantly reduced, making cleaning easier.
Case 3: An ODM Factory in Shenzhen – Building Differentiated Appearance Competitiveness
This customer provides full‑device assembly for multiple consumer electronics brands, covering mobile phones, earphone charging cases, smartwatches, etc. Different brands require different coating effects, so the customer needed a flexible curing solution adaptable to various coating formulations and appearances.
Our excimer UV system adopts a modular design. The energy output of the 254nm excimer lamp can be adjusted according to the coating formulation and substrate type, while the LED pre‑curing and mercury lamp deep‑curing parameters are independently configurable. When switching between product lines, the operator simply loads the corresponding process recipe. The system is now running stably on the customer's mobile phone rear cover line, earphone charging case line, and smartwatch case line. The customer noted that the distinctive tactile experience produced by the excimer process has become a key selling point highlighted by brands in their end‑user promotions.
Ergu excimer UV system, through three‑stage synergy of LED pre‑positioning, 254nm excimer irradiation, and mercury lamp deep curing, enables efficient mass production of ceramic‑touch coatings. The 60° gloss can be stably controlled at 1–3°, while the coating provides a warm tactile feel, anti‑fingerprint performance, and sweat‑corrosion resistance. The system can be flexibly integrated into existing coating lines and is suitable for mobile phone rear covers, automotive interior parts, wearables, and other 3C products. For process testing or equipment selection support, please contact Ergutech.
