Method and apparatus for producing a decorative surface
A method for producing a decorative surface having different gloss levels preferably comprising the following steps: (C) feeding of a workpiece ( 1.0 ), which is coated with at least a first lacquer layer ( 1.4 ) to a digital printing station; (D) provision of digital control data for the digital printing station; (E) digital spraying of droplets on partial areas of the first lacquer layer ( 1.4 ) on the workpiece ( 1.0 ) with an at least partially transparent lacquer in order to apply a second lacquer layer ( 1.5 ) on the first lacquer layer ( 1.4 ), wherein after curing the second lacquer layer ( 1.5 ) has a different gloss level than the first lacquer layer ( 1.4 ). Further disclosed is an apparatus for carrying out this method.
1. A method for producing a decorative surface having different gloss levels comprising the following steps:
(A) feeding of a workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) to a lacquer application device;
(B) coating the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) with at least a first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 );
(C) feeding of the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ), which is coated with at least the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) to a digital printing station;
(D) provision of digital control data for the digital printing station;
(E) digital spraying of droplets on partial areas of the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) on the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) with an at least partially transparent lacquer in order to apply a second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ) on part of the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) and not entirely on the lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ), wherein after curing the second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ) has a different gloss level than the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 );
wherein the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) is a printed workpiece printed with a decorative image before method step (A);
wherein:
(i) the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) is a printed workpiece printed with a decorative image before method step (A); or
(ii) the method further comprises printing the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) with a decorative image after method step (A) and before method step (B);
wherein the method further comprises using digital print data available for the decorative image on the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) as a basis for the digital control data provided in step (D);
wherein the digital print data is used as a basis for the digital control data provided in step (D) either:
(i) in identical form, or
(ii) in a form modified by a digital manipulation.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
a further step (F) is comprised, in which the applied lacquer layers ( 1 . 4 , 1 . 5 ) are physically dried and/or chemically cured.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) is printed with at least two different colors using a digital printer after method step (A) and before method step (B).
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) applied in step (B) is at least partially cured by an additional method step before step (E).
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the gloss level of the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) deviates by at least 10 gloss units, from the gloss level of the second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ), wherein the gloss units are measured according to DIN EN ISO 2813:2015-02 at an angle of 60°.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
in step (E), the droplets are sprayed with a droplet size smaller than 10 pL.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the surface of the workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) has a structure with a structure depth of 5-300 μm (micrometer) before the second lacquer layer is applied.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
with the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ), in step (B) a transparent lacquer layer is applied to an existing decorative image.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
a liquid base layer ( 1 . 2 ) is applied on a surface of the coated or uncoated workpiece ( 1 . 0 ) and a structure is applied into the still liquid base layer ( 1 . 2 ) by means of digital print heads, which structure is subsequently fixed, and the structured base layer is the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ), or the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) is applied on the structured base layer.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein
only the areas provided with a structure or only the areas without a structure are printed with the second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ).
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the two lacquer layers ( 1 . 4 , 1 . 5 ) are applied from an at least partially transparent lacquer, so that a decorative image arranged underneath ( 1 . 4 , 1 . 5 ) can be optically recognized through the two lacquer layers ( 1 . 4 , 1 . 5 ).
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ) produces a glossy or high-gloss surface and/or
the second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ) produces a matte or less glossy surface.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second lacquer contains matting agents.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the gloss level of the first lacquer layer ( 1 . 4 ) deviates by at least 20 gloss units from the gloss level of the second lacquer layer ( 1 . 5 ), wherein the gloss units are measured according to DIN EN ISO 2813:2015-02 at an angle of 60°.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (E), the droplets are sprayed with a droplet size smaller than 6 pL.
16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second lacquer contains matting agents in a weight proportion between 2% and 6%.