Anodizing

See our List of Anodizing Specifications »

Specification	Reference	Process	Compliant	NADCAP
MIL-A-8625, Type IC	Military	Sulfuric Acid Anodizing	x	x
MIL-A-8625, Type II	Military	Sulfuric Acid Anodizing	x	x
MIL-A-8625, Type III	Military	Hard Anodizing	x	x
MIL-F-14072	Military	Finishes for Ground-Based Electronic Equipment	x
MIL-STD-171	Military	Metal Finishing	x
AAMA611	AAMA	Anodized Architectural Aluminum	x
AMS2469	AMS	Hard Anodic Coating	x	x
AMS2471	AMS	Anodic Treatment of Aluminum Alloys	x	x
BAC5022	Boeing	Sulfuric Acid Anodizing	x
BAC5408	Boeing	Vapor Degreasing	x
BAC5632	Boeing	Boric-Sulfuric Acid Anodizing	x
BAC5725	Boeing	Stripping Organic Materials	x	x
BAC5748	Boeing	Abrasive Cleaning, Deburring and Finishing	x
BAC5749	Boeing	Alkaline Cleaning	x
BAC5750	Boeing	Solvent Cleaning	x
BAC5763	Boeing	Emulsion Cleaning and Aqueous Degreasing	x
BAC5765	Boeing	Cleaning and Deoxidizing Aluminum Alloys	x
BAC5771	Boeing	Stripping Inorganic Materials	x
BAC5786	Boeing	Etch Cleaning of Aluminum Alloys	x
BAC5821	Boeing	Hard Anodizing	x
DPS 9.316-2	Boeing	Stripping Organic Coatings with Plastic Media Blasting	x
DPS 11.01	Boeing	Chromic Acid Anodizing	x
DPS 11.04	Boeing	Hard Anodizing Aluminum	x
DPS 11.05	Boeing	Sulfuric Acid Anodizing	x
DPS 11.05-2	Boeing	Sulfuric Acid Anodizing - Thin Film	x
DPS 11.06	Boeing	Color Anodizing Decorative Parts	x
P3100	Williams Intl.	Anodic Coating	x
P3102	Williams Intl.	Anodic Coating	x
P3103	Williams Intl.	Hard Anodic Coating	x

See our Anodizing Equipment Size List »

Process	Size
Sulphuric Acid Anodize	14'L x 6'D x 4'W
Hard Coat Anodize	7'L x 4'D x 3'W
Boric Acid Anodize	7'L x 4'D x 2'W
Conversion Coat	14'L x 6'D x 4'W
Certified Conversion Coat	7'L x 4'D x 2'W
Aluminum Cleaning	14'L x 6'D x 4'W
Iron Phosphate - Spray Clean	30'L x 6'D x 14'W
Dye Penetrant Inspection	5'L x 3'D x 2.5'W

What is Anodizing?

Anodizing successfully combines science with nature to create one of the world's best metal finishes. Developed over 50 years ago, anodizing is an electrochemical process that forms a protective coating of aluminum oxide on the surface of the aluminum. Raw aluminum left exposed will corrode and oxidize, creating weakness and becoming unsightly. Anodizing protects the raw aluminum, transforming it into a hard and durable, weather-resistant substance. Anodized coatings can be colored by dyeing - and because anodizing is a chemical bond to the metal, these colored coatings cannot flake or peel. The microscopic structure of an anodized coating consists of many small hexagonal pores. These are filled with a sealer that hydrolyzes the pores to create a smooth, durable surface.

Our Anodizing Process

We consistently follow the same documented process to obtain a truly high-quality and long-lasting anodize finish. Many steps are involved, including the following:

• Cleaning - At Pilkington, your product is cleaned using ultrasonic vapor degreasing, acid wash, and/or alkaline cleaning.
• Mechanical and Chemical Pre-Treatments - After cleaning, your product is pre-treated to achieve the desired degree of reflectivity. Three of the chemical pre-treatments we offer are bright dip (highly reflective, gloss-like finish), satin (low lustre - the most common finish), and matte (flat finish).
• Treatment - This is the step where your product is actually anodized. Your anodizing options include standard sulfuric anodizing and hardcoat anodizing. We use approved and particular specifications to finish your products. See our
complete list of specifications.
• Finish - In the last step of the anodizing process, the final finish is achieved through application of color dye and sealants.

Advantages of Anodizing

• Durability - Anodizing results in a complete bonding of the finish coating and the aluminum - so the finish cannot peel off because it is actually part of the metal. An anodized finish is chemically stable and heat resistant to the melting point of aluminum, which occurs around 1,221 degrees F.
• Cost - Due to their extremely long life span, most anodized products offer significant economic advantages.
• Color Stability and Selection - Anodizing gives aluminum a deep, rich metallic sheen. The anodized coating is translucent, which is why the aluminum retains its metallic appearance after it is anodized. Exterior anodized color coatings do not chip or peel and are resistant to ultraviolet rays.

Bright Dip Anodizing - the ultimate look in anodizing

Bright dip is an especially brilliant finish achieved by using the bright dipping process. Bright dip's attractive gloss finish helps accent colors as well as graphics and lettering. Pilkington offers bright dip anodizing in a variety of colors.

Hard Coat Anodizing - for maximum durability

Hardcoating results in a protective finish that is up to 8 times thicker and 10 times more durable than standard anodizing.
Other properties of hardcoating include: super long life span, resistance to outdoor conditions, exceptionally hard surface, easily cleaned and heat resistant.
Hard coating has applications in industries where components require wear-resistant surfaces - for example, cylinders, hydraulic gears, and machine molds.