Views: 0 Author: Natasha Publish Time: 2025-12-26 Origin: Cugle
Do you remember the magical moment in the 2001 film Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, when the First Years entered the mysterious Great Hall at Hogwarts Castle for the very first time? Their faces were filled with amazement and awe as they gazed upon a world of magic before them, an almost utopian realm of spells and wonder.
While we may not possess magical powers like Professor Dumbledore to take you into the wizarding world, we can take you behind the scenes of an enamel pin factory, our factory, where a different kind of magic happens every day.
Understanding how enamel pins are made and what goes on inside a professional enamel pin manufacturing facility can greatly improve your pin designs. There are two main types of enamel pins: soft enamel and hard enamel. Each uses a different manufacturing process, and certain designs are better suited to one method over the other.
So sit back and join us on a journey into the imagination and craftsmanship of an enamel pin factory. You won’t find magic spells or instant creations, but the transformation of raw metal into beautifully crafted enamel pins is nothing short of magical.
The first step in enamel pin manufacturing is turning your digital artwork to a physical mold. Once the artwork is confirmed and we proceed to mold making, the Molding Department will upload a STL file to a machine that cuts out a mold in industrial steel.
Cutting an enamel pin mold
Next, we cut off some of the excess metal around the engraved design. Repeated heating and cooling hardens the mold until it is super-duper strong. This allows it to stand up to the high-pressure stamping process. Which is notable that during this process, the mold for a soft enamel brooch and a hard enamel brooch is different, a soft enamel mold can be modified into a hard enamel mold, but a hard enamel mold cannot be modified into a soft enamel mold.
Enamel lapel pins are typically made from zinc alloy or iron, both of which are softer than the hardened steel used for stamping molds. Once the mold is hardened, the production process differs depending on the material. For iron enamel pins, the mold is placed into a stamping machine, where a metal sheet is presses with approximately 5 tons of pressure to form the pin base and design. After stamping, the pins are cut out from the metal sheet, creating individual raw pin bases. For zinc alloy enamel pins, molten zinc alloy is poured into the mold. The heated metal quickly takes shape inside the mold, forming the pin base almost instantly. After cooling, the solid metal base is separated from the raw casting material to create individual pins.
Zinc Alloy Metal Base
Iron Pin Metal Base
Next, the lapel pin is welded onto the back of the pin. Typically, a welding machine is used to securely attach the pin, ensuring durability and long-term wear.
Welding a Badge Pin
Electroplating is a process that applies a protective outer layer to iron or zinc alloy pins. This layer helps slow metal corrosion while enhancing the appearance and durability of the metal base. Common electroplated colors include imitation gold, nickel, copper and brass, with finishes available in shiny, matte or antique styles.
For soft enamel custom pins, electroplating is done before the enameling process, as this stage determines the final base color of the pin. In contrast, hard enamel pins are electroplated after enameling because they undergo polishing, which would otherwise wear away the plating if applied earlier.
Today, electroplating options have expanded significantly. In addition to traditional finishes, designers can choose matte, antique, rainbow and even dual electroplated colors on a single lapel pin. These options greatly increase design flexibility, making custom enamel pins more visually striking and diverse than ever. Selecting the right electroplated color is a crucial step in creating a high-quality custom lapel pin.
Electroplating works by passing an electric current through an electrolyte solution along with an anode and a cathode. The cathode is the metal object being plated. The anode is the metal used for plating, such as gold. The electrolyte solution, typically water mixed with metal salts, contains ions that allow electricity to flow.
When the system is activated, positively charged metal ions move from the anode through the solution and bond to the negatively charged cathode, forming a thin, even layer of metal on the pin’s surface.
Below is an example of the process used to apply gold electroplating to enamel pin.
Electroplating Factory
Now comes the most exciting part of making enamel pins: adding color! This is the stage where your pins are filled with vibrant enamel and truly come to life.
Enamel coloring can be done either by an automatic enamel filling machine or by hand, depending on the design complexity and production requirements. Both methods ensure precise color placement and help transform raw metal pins into eye-catching, finished designs.
Color Filling
For soft enamel lapel pins, the recessed areas created during molding are not filled with enamel, leaving the raised metal lines clearly visible and textured to the touch. Soft enamel pins require a relatively small amount of colored enamel, which preserves the dimensional look of the design.
In contrast, hard enamel pins undergo a much more intensive color-filling process. Each cavity is filled with a larger volume of colored enamel, so much so that the original metal design becomes temporarily unrecognizable at this stage. The baking process for hard enamel pins also differs from that of soft enamel pins. Hard enamel pins are baked after each color is filled.
For soft enamel pins, the production process does not include surface polishing. As a result, the metal lines can be much thinner than those on hard enamel pins; the thinnest lines can be as fine as 0.12mm, with 0.15mm being more common. This allows for greater design flexibility and more intricate details.
After the enamel is applied, the pins are baked in an oven to harden the enamel. Aside from a final quality control inspection, soft enamel pins are essentially complete at this stage. In contrast, hard enamel pins require several additional production steps, which is why soft enamel pins are generally more affordable to produce.
After baking, hard enamel pins are hand-polished until the surface becomes completely smooth and flat. This polishing process gives hard enamel pins a premium, refined and high-end appearance, while also making them more durable and scratch-resistant.
However, the additional production steps and higher material costs make hard enamel pins more expensive to produce. For this reason, they are often the preferred choice for high-end brands and military organizations, where quality, durability and a polished finish are essential.
Some hard enamel personalized pins receive an additional layer of detail through UV printing. The process uses specialized link to add fine details and gradients on top of an otherwise completed pin design, allowing for more complex artwork and vibrant color effects.
The video below demonstrates how a UV printing machine applies color layer by layer, enhancing precision and visual depth.
UV Printing Machine Works
Every piece is carefully inspected by hand to ensure you receive only top-quality enamel pins.
You don't need magical powers from childhood to create great personalized enamel pins. All you need to do is browse our website and send us your inquiry, we will take care of everything else!
 | What metal are enamel pins made of? |
Enamel pins are typically made from iron or zinc alloy, though other materials such as brass or even plastic may be used in special cases. They consist of a metal base with colored enamel filled into recessed areas. |
| What is an enamel pin design? |
A pin design is a visual blueprint that shows how the pin should look. It includes details such as the shape, size, colors, metal lines and any texts or graphics that will appear on the pin. |
| How are enamel pins made? |
Enamel pins are usually made by creating a metal base through die casting or die stamping, filling the recessed areas with enamel, baking the pin to harden the enamel and finishing it with polishing and quality inspection. |
| Can I make enamel pins at home? |
Yes, enamel pins can be made at home, but the process is very different from professional manufacturing. DIY methods often involve paint or resin and hear sources, and the results typically lack the durability and finish of factory-made enamel pins. |
| Can you make your own enamel pins? |
Yes, you can design and create your own enamel pins. Many designers create the artwork themselves and then work with a professional manufacturer to produce high-quality custom pins. |
| What machine is used to make enamel pins? |
Professional enamel pin are made using die-stamping machines (for iron pins) or die-casting machines (for zinc alloy pins), along with enameling, baking, polishing and plating equipment. |
| Are enamel pins popular? |
Yes, enamel pins are extremely popular. They are versatile accessories that can be worn on clothing, bags, or hats, and they allow people to express personal interests, hobbies, beliefs or brand identity in a creative way. |
| What is the back of an enamel pin called? |
The back of an enamel pin usually consists of two parts: a pin nail and a clutch. The clutch secures the pin to clothing or accessories. |
| What are decorative pins called? |
Decorative pins are commonly referred to as lapel pins, brooches, or simply pins, depending on their style and usage. |
| How do you make custom lapel pin for backing cards? |
When designing backing cards, make sure the pin size is proportional to the card. For example, a 2-inch pin looks best on a card that is at least 3*3 inches. You can mark the pin placement on the card to indicate where the pin nail should go. |
| How big are pin backing cards? |
We commonly recommend 2*3 inches, but backing cards can be customized to any size depending on the branding and pin dimensions. |
