The production process of the faucet:
Copper ingot→dissolution→casting (low-grade casting with sand casting, high-quality faucet with gravity casting)→cleaning after casting→casting inspection→machining→tolerance inspection→grinding→surface inspection→plating→plating inspection→assembly→test pressure→ Finished product inspection → packaging → delivery.
Casting: low-end casting with sand casting, high-quality faucet with gravity casting, relatively new technology is die-casting, one-time pressure grinding is similar to the current zinc alloy die-casting process.
Quality control: The quality in the production process before the finished product is controlled by quality control, and the quality assurance part will conduct random inspections from the cost to the packaging, mainly to check the packaging and placement of the products.
The difference between high-quality and inferior casting process of faucet
1.The difference in casting process
Most of the casting processes for products below 100 yuan and some mid-range products are sand casting. This is what people usually call “turning sand”. In products produced by this process, the internal structure of the valve body metal is loose, and it is easy to form internal defects such as “trachoma” and “stomata”. It may not be found in appearance. But after a period of use, there will be water leakage, poor sealing or even greater defects. Lead to low product life. It is understood that the service life of faucets less than 100 yuan is only a few months, and problems will occur after a long year.
High-end products and mid-range products produced by powerful companies use gravity casting. It is to use a gravity casting machine to cast with a steel mold. This process method has become more common in foreign countries. The product produced by this process has a dense internal structure of the valve body metal. Good quality and long life. For the same valve body, the weight of the products produced by the two processes is different, and the consumption of materials is also different. The weight difference between gravity casting valve body and sand casting valve body is about 1/4. Therefore, the same product has different prices.
2.Different machining processes
Generally, for products below 100 yuan or some mid-range products, in order to reduce costs, the processing equipment is simple, the process is simple, and the machining accuracy is low, resulting in no guarantee of product quality. Powerful companies use special equipment or imported special equipment for processing. Standard processing technology and high precision. The assembled product components have good mutual coordination performance and are not prone to quality problems, so users can rest assured.
3.Different spools are selected
The valve core is the core part of the faucet. Although most of the products sold on the market now use ceramic valve cores, the quality of ceramic valve cores varies greatly. The key part of the ceramic valve core is the ceramic sheet of the valve core. The good quality of the ceramic chip directly affects the service life of the valve core and is also one of the main problems affecting the service life of the faucet. At present, there are domestically-made valve cores, imported valve cores, and domestic assembly of imported ceramic discs on the market. Due to the different quality, their prices range from a few yuan, tens of yuan and hundreds of yuan. For low-grade products, in order to save costs, the quality of the valve core is relatively poor. The service life is short. A good spool has a soft, flexible but not flirty feel, and its service life is generally guaranteed for 5-10 years. Poor quality spools feel astringent without softness.
4.Different electroplating process
Low-grade chrome-plated faucets generally have a nickel-plated layer of about 5 microns and a chrome-plated layer of about 0.1 microns. High-end faucets generally have a nickel-plated layer of about 15 microns and a chrome-plated layer of about 0.3 microns. The electroplating layer is thin, and the appearance is just “bright”. The electroplating layer is thick, and the bright light of the product is emitted from the depths, giving a feeling of “green”. There are two simple methods to identify the quality of plating. One is “photo”. Is the feeling of looking at the silhouette of the product deep or shallow? If it feels deep, it means that the plating quality is good; if it feels very shallow, it means that the plating quality is low. The second is “print”. On the product, press a fingerprint. If the fingerprint disappears after a while, it means that the plating quality is good; if the fingerprint does not return, it means that the plating quality is relatively poor.
Based on the above factors, consumers should choose high-end and mid-range products based on the cost-effectiveness of products, and similar products should choose gravity casting products; perhaps the price was higher than that of low-end products at that time, but the quality is guaranteed. From a long-term perspective See more cost-effective. There is a saying: “Buy is expensive, use cheap”.
Faucet is a necessity of daily life, people will have close contact with faucet every day, from a few times to as many as dozens of times, which shows how close this necessity is to people’s lives! Therefore, in the autumn home decoration, buying a faucet has become a necessary lesson for home owners. So how can you choose a faucet that is water-saving, beautiful, and of good quality? Experts remind consumers that when buying a faucet, it is best to turn, watch, ask, try, and recognize.
Turn handle: feel good light spool
Common faucet valve cores include steel ball valve core and ceramic valve core. The steel ball valve core has good pressure resistance, but the disadvantage is that the rubber sealing ring used for sealing is easy to wear and will quickly age. Compared with the steel ball valve core, the ceramic valve core is more heat-resistant and wear-resistant. At the same time, the ceramic valve core itself has good sealing performance, so it can achieve a high resistance to opening times, and will not cause the nozzle to drip due to the wear of the valve core. The faucet with ceramic valve core is more comfortable and smooth in hand, and opens and closes quickly. Since the valve core is inside the faucet, consumers cannot see the valve core when purchasing, but consumers can simply judge whether the valve core is good or bad based on the feel when turning the handle. Generally speaking, if consumers turn the handle up, down, left and right, if they feel light and without blocking, it means that the valve core is better.
Look at the appearance: the coating should be as bright as a mirror
After the faucet is polished and formed, the surface should be plated with nickel or chromium to prevent oxidation of the faucet. After the faucet is plated with nickel or chromium, perform a neutral hydrochloric acid test on the faucet. After the test, the coating should be free of corrosion within a certain period of time. It is understood that only faucets that pass the neutral salt spray test can be shipped. When consumers buy, it is best to place the faucet in a well-lit place for inspection. The surface of the faucet should be as bright as a mirror, without any oxidation spots, burn marks, no pores, no blistering, no leakage of plating, and uniform color; There are no burrs or sand particles in the hand; after pressing the faucet with your fingers, the fingerprints will spread out quickly, and it is not easy to adhere to dirt.
To be tested: the quality is more guaranteed
The body of the faucet is generally brass. The electroplating quality of products made of brass can be guaranteed the most. The higher the purity of the brass, the better the electroplating quality, and the electroplated layer on the surface is less likely to be corroded. In order to reduce costs, some manufacturers choose zinc alloy instead of brass. Although the country allows zinc alloy materials to replace brass, the quality of zinc alloy plating is poor and corrosion resistance is not strong. Generally speaking, consumers can use the method of estimating the weight when purchasing. Brass is heavier and harder, and zinc alloy is lighter and softer. Experts remind that the quality of faucets should not be judged by weight alone, because some manufacturers can also make the faucet heavier by increasing the wall thickness of the faucet or adding other metal materials. It is best for consumers to ask the sales staff for the test report of the product. If the test report confirms that the product is qualified, “the problem is not big”.
Test water flow: Subject to rich foaming
Consumers should try their best to choose a faucet with a bubbler and feel the water flow with their hands. The soft and foaming (bubble content of the water flow) indicates that the bubbler is of good quality. The bubbler generally has six layers and is usually composed of a metal mesh cover (part of which is plastic). When the water flows through the mesh cover, it will be cut into a large number of small water columns with air in the middle, so that the water will not fall apart.
Brand recognition: guaranteed after-sales service
Finally, consumers should go to regular markets and supermarkets to buy branded faucets. Branded products have the manufacturer’s brand logo, and informal products or quality products are often only pasted with some paper labels, or even without any marks. The faucet packaging box should also contain the manufacturer’s brand logo, quality assurance certificate and after-sales service. Be sure to pay attention when purchasing.