Graining

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Bag with heavy grain on leather
Camera with grained leatherette surface

Grain refers to the structuring of a surface, which is essentially responsible for the haptic and visual properties. Characteristic are repeated height differences, which can be irregular as well as regularly geometrically designed. These can also be associated with differences in brightness.

description

The term was originally used for the surface structure of leather , which is irregular in terms of color and thickness . The grain side refers to the surface facing the hair side. Each type of leather has a unique, characteristic grain pattern. A grain can also be created on split leather by embossing and coloring .

The grain can also be found as an imitation of natural leather and as the grain of wood, as a fabric structure of textiles or as an artificial structure on the surfaces of mass-produced plastic parts with the aim of surface optimization. These are preferably found in plastic parts in the interior of cars, but also in technical parts, device covers, suitcases, housings and many other products.

A grain is created by molding during plastic processing . The negative engraving on the mold surfaces in the mold is reproduced on the surface of every plastic part produced as a positive impression pattern. The production is mainly done using a special etching technique. Etched structures are created by pattern-forming acid-resistant covers in the mold, with the unprotected surfaces being etched out / removed in a controlled manner by the action of acid. Other processes are eroding, micro-milling and laser processing .

In 1964 it was possible for the first time to etch the three-dimensional cavity of a steel mold without distortion. The plastic injection molded parts made from it were cases from Agfa for the flash units of the inventor Artur Fischer .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Grain page - Leather Center Leather Lexicon. Retrieved May 14, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Grain page - www.leder-info.de - Das Lederlexikon. Retrieved May 14, 2018 .

literature

  • Günter Walter: Plastics and elastomers in motor vehicles, W. Kohlhammer-Verlag, Stuttgart 1985, ISBN 3-17-008833-5 .
  • Heiner Dolmetsch, Detlev Holznagel, Eberhard Keller, Wolfgang Klein and Thomas Odenwald: Der Werkzeugbau , Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel Nourney, Haan-Gruiten 2001, ISBN 3-8085-1203-2 .
  • Markus Lake: Surface technology in plastics processing. Pretreatment, coating, functionalization and marking of plastic surfaces. Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich 2009, ISBN 978-3-446-41849-3 .