Insights to Anodizing Solutions For Die-Casting Aluminum Alloys
A recent correspondence I received related to difficulties with hard anodizing a cast aluminum product. The cast part was receiving a black hardcoat anodic coating. The company was experiencing several consistent problems trying to finish this part, and none of their regular vendors could solve the problem. Read more ›
Aluminum Anodizing Process: Techniques for Minimizing Rack Marks
As a service provider of aluminum anodizing, we are often asked the question, “Can you anodize an aluminum part without leaving a rack mark?” The simple answer is no – but you may have more choices than you can imagine that will help make the marks unobjectionable. The new post by Jack Tetrault, President of Sanford Process Company explores why rack marks are inherent to the aluminum anodizing process for both Anodizing (Type II) and Hard Coat Anodizing (Type III), your choices in deciding where to rack the parts, and what directions to give to your anodizer to help produce the best result. This post explores why rack marks are inherent to the aluminum anodizing process, your choices in deciding where to rack the parts, and what directions to give to your anodizer to help produce the best result. Read more ›
The electrolytic coloring (“two-step”) process was first in use in Europe and Asia during the 1960’s (Asada Process), and was introduced in the USA during the 1970’s by ALCAN. The earliest claim to coloring anodized aluminum belongs to Italian scientist Dr. V. Caboni. Dr. Caboni received an Italian patent in 1936 for impregnating aluminum oxide film with finely divided metal from aqueous solutions of the salts of copper, nickel, silver or metals electropositive to aluminum. The final product of the two-step process is conventional anodized (soft) oxide film with coloring done in a subsequent step, as shown in Fig.1. The coloring is produced by electrochemical action using a proprietary second step electrolyte, which contains the dissolved metal salts of tin, cobalt, nickel or others. Read more ›
