Enameling
Coloured glass frit or epoxy resin is filled into recessed cells in the metal and then fired or cured until it sets flush and hard.
- Tolerance
- ±0.1 mm on fill depth
- Min. wall
- 0.3 mm cell wall
- Tooling
- As for the forming route
- Batch fit
- 500–20,000 pcs
How it works
Coloured glass frit or epoxy resin is filled into recessed cells in the metal and then fired or cured until it sets flush and hard.
Logo colour, flags, pattern work, colour-blocked ranges are the work this route is chosen for. It runs on Brass, Copper, 925 silver, Zinc alloy and suits 500–20,000 pcs.
Production steps
Each step below is a separate labour operation, and labour is priced per operation rather than per piece. That is why a 6-step route costs what it does.
Recessed cells formed by stamping, casting or etching 
Surface cleaned and keyed 
Colour filled cell by cell 
Fired (vitreous) or cured (epoxy) 
Ground back flush and re-polished 
Colour matched against the approved reference
Process parameters
These are engineering properties of the process itself. They hold at any competent factory and can be checked against a manufacturing reference.
| Dimensional tolerance | ±0.1 mm on fill depth |
|---|---|
| Minimum wall / section | 0.3 mm cell wall |
| Tooling cost | As for the forming route |
| Suited to | 500–20,000 pcs |
| Cycle time | Adds 2–4 days |
| Materials accepted | Brass, Copper, 925 silver, Zinc alloy |
Tooling ranges are industry-typical. A firm figure is quoted against your CAD file — see the cost breakdown.
Enamel vs Laser engraving
Enamel adds colour and needs a recessed cell designed in from the start; engraving adds a monochrome mark to a finished surface and needs no design allowance.
Compare with laser engraving →Materials and categories this suits
Process, material and product category are one decision seen from three sides. These are the combinations that actually work.
| 925 silver | ASTM B700 / EN ISO 9202 (925 fineness) |
|---|---|
| Brass | ASTM B36 / EN CW508L |
| Zinc alloy | ASTM B86 (Zamak 3 / Zamak 5) |
| Copper / bronze | ASTM B152 (Cu) / ASTM B505 (bronze) |
| Cufflinks & Men's | Brand colours in recessed cells |
|---|
What to watch out for
Enameling — buyer questions
Each answer stands alone and can be read without the rest of this page.
What tolerance can enameling hold?
Enameling holds ±0.1 mm on fill depth on production parts, with a minimum wall or section of 0.3 mm cell wall. Coloured glass frit or epoxy resin is filled into recessed cells in the metal and then fired or cured until it sets flush and hard. Tighter tolerances than this normally mean a secondary machining operation rather than a change to the primary process.
How much does tooling cost for enameling?
Tooling for this route is as for the forming route, quoted as a one-off line and invoiced separately from the unit price. The buyer owns the tooling and it is not charged again on a reorder. Full tooling ranges for every route are on the manufacturing cost page.
What order quantity does enameling suit?
This route suits 500–20,000 pcs. Below that range the setup cost dominates the unit price; above it, a different route is usually cheaper per piece. Enamel adds colour and needs a recessed cell designed in from the start; engraving adds a monochrome mark to a finished surface and needs no design allowance.
Which metals can be processed this way?
Brass, Copper, 925 silver, Zinc alloy. Vitreous enamel fires above 750 °C, which rules out zinc alloy and any piece already plated. Epoxy enamel cures cold and suits those cases, but it is softer and less UV-stable. Specify which one the quotation assumes.
Enamel or laser engraving — which is right for my design?
Enamel adds colour and needs a recessed cell designed in from the start; engraving adds a monochrome mark to a finished surface and needs no design allowance.
Not answered here? All buyer questions →
Quote a enamel run
Send the CAD file or a sketch. You get the tooling cost as its own line, the unit price at your quantity, and a straight answer on whether enamel is the right route for the design — we will say so if it is not. Production runs in Qingxi, Dongguan, Guangdong.
- 01Reply within one working day, Guangdong business hours.
- 02Itemised cost sheet — mold quoted separately, not folded into the unit price.
- 03NDA on request before any file is shared.