aluminum-finishing

One adds a layer of metal, the other grows a layer of oxide. Learn when to electroplate steel and when to anodize aluminum for your engineering projects.

Demystifying the chemistry and application of chromate conversion coatings. Understand how they seal zinc plating, protect bare aluminum (Chem-Film), and why the industry transitioned from hexavalent to trivalent formulations.

Explore the extreme wear resistance of MIL-A-8625 Type III Hard Coat Anodizing. Learn why it is processed near freezing temperatures, how it affects part dimensions, and when to specify it over standard anodizing or hard chrome.

A comprehensive guide to standard (Type II) aluminum anodizing. Learn how the electrochemical process works, why certain alloys anodize better than others, and the science behind dyeing aluminum.