Where Glass
Becomes Armor.
Apei operates its own manufacturing facility where every stage of production is performed by our own team. We do not outsource manufacturing. Operating since 2010.
The Apei
Facility.
Our dedicated manufacturing headquarters — where every Apei product is designed, produced, tested, and shipped from.
Step by
Step.
This is how every tempered glass screen protector in the Apei range is made. The process applies to all models; materials, coating methods, and adhesive systems vary by product line.
All premium models are tested to 20,000 abrasion cycles. Magic Box models to 5,000. No unit ships without clearing all six QC checkpoints.
Raw glass sheets — high aluminum silicate, medium aluminum silicate, or Corning glass depending on the model — undergo incoming quality inspection before production. Sheets that pass enter CNC precision cutting to device-specific dimensions with tight tolerances. Off-spec cuts are rejected at this stage.
Cut glass panels are submerged in a heated potassium nitrate (KNO₃) salt bath at approximately 400°C. Smaller sodium ions in the glass surface are replaced by larger potassium ions from the bath, creating a compressive stress layer on the outer surface. This is the mechanism behind what the industry calls "tempered glass" — it is not heat tempering, which cannot be applied to thin substrates.
Post-tempering, glass panels are polished to remove surface irregularities from cutting and tempering. Panels then pass through multi-stage ultrasonic cleaning — high-frequency sound waves in cleaning solution removing microscopic particles, oils, and contaminants. A contamination-free surface is essential for proper oleophobic coating adhesion.
All standard and premium Apei models receive oleophobic coating via vacuum electroplating — the oleophobic compound is deposited onto the glass through electrolysis in a vacuum environment, forming a molecularly bonded layer. Starting water contact angles of 115°–120° on high aluminum glass, 117°–119° on Corning glass. The Armor Plus budget model only uses plasma spraying, which achieves approximately 110°.
Coated glass panels receive their adhesive layer on the underside. Apei uses four adhesive systems: Anti-static 280AB for HD and Armor models, 28°–30° Anti-peep 350AB for all Privacy models, High Viscosity 280AB for Magic Box self-application products, and ESD-grade 380AB for 300C and Corning Glass models. Adhesive is applied under controlled conditions and inspected under UV light for uniformity.
Every unit passes six QC checkpoints: (1) raw glass material inspection, (2) post-tempering structural verification, (3) oleophobic coating water contact angle measurement, (4) adhesive uniformity inspection under UV, (5) edge pressure and ball drop impact testing per model spec, (6) final appearance and packaging inspection. Units that fail any checkpoint are removed from the batch. No exceptions.
Two Methods.
Clearly Labelled.
Most manufacturers apply oleophobic coating without disclosing the method. We document it on every product because the method directly determines how long the coating performs.
Vacuum electroplating bonds the oleophobic compound to the glass surface at a near-molecular level via electrolysis in a vacuum chamber. The result is a highly durable, uniform coating — starting water contact angle 115°–120°, maintaining performance through 20,000 standardised abrasion cycles. This is the standard for all premium screen protectors.
Plasma spraying applies the oleophobic material via ionised gas. It produces surface adhesion rather than the molecular bonding of electroplating — resulting in a lower initial water contact angle (~110°) and reduced long-term durability. Apei uses plasma spraying exclusively on the Armor Plus budget model and publishes this distinction openly.
Quality Control
On Record.
Every unit passes six checkpoints. No sampling — 100% inspection. Test documentation available on request for all wholesale and OEM buyers.
Every premium model is tested for edge compression — the force required to crack or delaminate the glass edge. Armor HD and Anti-Blue: ≥35 KGS. Corning Glass: ≥40 KGS. Standard HD: ≥15 KGS. Magic Box: ≥8 KGS. Every figure is a tested threshold, not a claimed range.
A steel ball of specified weight is dropped from a specified height onto each unit. The glass must not crack or shatter to pass. Premium models: 64g from 2 metres. Magic Box: 32g from 0.6 metres. The 300C: 64g from 1.2 metres. Results available on request.
All standard and premium models undergo 20,000 standardised abrasion cycles before the oleophobic coating's water contact angle is remeasured. It must hold above the minimum threshold — 105°–115° for high aluminum models, 110°–112° for Corning glass. If it falls below, the product does not ship.
Visit Our
Facility.
Wholesale and OEM buyers are welcome to visit our facility. We can also provide batch test reports and QC documentation for buyers who need this for import or retail compliance.