DLC Coating for Bluetooth Earphone Hinges: Enhancing Durability and User Experience

Bluetooth earphones have become an essential part of modern digital life. Among all components, the hinge shaft plays a critical mechanical role, directly affecting the durability, portability, and comfort of the device. Due to frequent folding, rotation, and adjustment, earphone shafts are prone to wear, loosening, and even fracture, which compromises both the user experience and the product’s overall lifespan.

Traditional lubrication methods, such as grease, offer only short-term solutions. They tend to attract dust and particles, which accelerate wear and lead to squeaking noise during folding. This limitation has driven the demand for more advanced surface treatments. DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating has emerged as the ideal solution for earphone shafts, providing unmatched performance in terms of wear resistance, hardness, and user comfort.

Key Features of DLC Coating for Earphone Hinges

• Thin and precise layer: Coating thickness of 2–3 μm ensures no impact on structural design.
• Superior hardness: Approximately 2500 HV, far higher than conventional untreated metal shafts (~300 HV).
• Low friction coefficient: About 0.1, reducing friction noise during folding or adjustment.
• Corrosion resistance: Excellent resistance to sweat and environmental conditions.
• High thermal stability: Deposition temperature below 200℃ and maximum working temperature up to 300℃.

Benefits in Consumer Electronics

With DLC coating, the service life of Bluetooth earphone shafts can be increased more than five times, effectively preventing issues such as breakage, loosening, friction noise, and damping failure. For premium headphones featuring infinite adjustment hinges, DLC coating ensures smooth operation and long-term performance, delivering a superior user experience.

This makes DLC-coated earphone shafts not only ideal for everyday consumer devices but also for high-end wearable electronics, where both precision and durability are critical.

At Huasheng, we leverage years of expertise in vacuum surface treatment and advanced coating technologies to provide high-performance DLC solutions for precision parts. As consumer electronics continue to evolve, DLC coatings will play an increasingly vital role in improving product reliability, extending lifespan, and enabling innovative design possibilities.