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How are these smartphone back covers made?
(lemmy.ml)
The plastic is polished black, the logo and text is reflective silver grey. I’m interested in replacing with a custom made cover, but I don’t know the process that was used to achieve this. I have found out that they most probably used laser etching for my iPod, but I can’t find anything on this. Thanks.
Update: I found an Ebay listing with the logo half scratched off, confirming my assumption of it being somehow printed on. I still don’t know how though, haha.
As others have said. It’s injection molding with screen printing. Those two techniques are not suited for one off parts. Machining the mold for injection molding can cost thousands of dollars, especially for a gloss finish like this. The screen printing also requires to create a custom silk screen for this.
What are you trying to achieve? A new plastic cover with a different shape? Or same shape and different design on it?
Well first of all, I’m just really curious. I always had a thing for learning how things are made and if I could remake them at home. Second, I guess I’d like to go with my own design, while staying in the bounds of the same style. Third, I’m still looking for what I am good at.
That awesome! The best way to approach this in a DIY manner would be 3D printing. Easy 3D printing would be FDM printers, but better quality would be with Resin printer (in the home DIY scope).
I was thinking maybe a silicone mould for casting resin could do the trick. I don’t have access to a 3D printer and won’t anytime soon unfortunately.
You can try. You can get a 3D painter for around $200 https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNOIaES they basically pay for themselves in a couple of prints.