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.

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

Process	Maximum 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

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.