Surface Finishes
Surface finishing may be defined as any process that alters the surface of a material or aesthetic or functional purposes.
The basis material can be a steel, a aluminum, a plastic and any material used for engineering or decorative purposes.
Surface finishing can hide any number of faults in a machined part, but there are limits. Surface finishing can improve the aesthetic appeal of a machined part by changing its gloss, hininess and colour, can improve corrosion resistance and tailor surface properties.
Litechworks provides the following surface finishing applications:
- Anodized Aluminum (Type 1, 2, 3, BSA, Al, Ti)
- Acid Etching
- Alodine
- Chemical Conversion Coating
- Chromium Electroplating
- Electropolishing
- Electroless Nickel Plating
- Nickel Electroplating
- Passivation
- Power coating
- Painting
- Zinc Electroplating
1. Anodizing (Anodized)
An electrolytic passivation process of forming a thin layer of metal oxide on the exterior of CNC machined parts to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer, protect the metal, add various colors, as well as improve corrosion and abrasion resistance. Aluminum is the most widely anodized material, and the advantages of anodized aluminum components are well known, but many other metals can undergo the process, such as stainless steel, copper, titanium, zinc, and magnesium.
2. Passivation
A common chemical surface treatment method mostly for steel and stainless steel, to use a light coat of protective material to create a shell for enhancing the corrosion resistance or reducing the chemical reactivity. Passivation of stainless steel removes free ironand ferrous contaminants on metal surface with an acid solution to prevent rust.
3. Plating (Electroplating)
The process of using an electric current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a thin coherent metal coating on an electrode, to change the properties of the metal surface or build up thickness for undersized parts. Chrome plating, nickel plating and more are often applied at LITECHWORKS.
4. Painting
The process of spraying paint, pigment, or color to a solid surface as a colored protective layer, and can be done on metal or non-metal CNC machined components of any shapes, usually applied on aluminum, stainless steel and steel alloy parts. The purpose is to improve aesthetic appearance and prevent corrosion or oxidation.
The technique also known as blackening, or gun bluing, a chemical process of forming a black conversion coating on stainless steel, copper and copper based alloys, zinc, powdered metals, silver solder, and ferrous materials, the black oxide coating can improve corrosion resistance and minimize light reflection.
6. Polishing
Polishing, also known as buffing, a process of rubbing the surface of parts or utilizing a chemical action to produce a smooth and shiny surface, make the surface get significant specular reflection or reduce diffuse reflection in some materials.
7. Powder Coating
The process of placing a functional and decorative finish, which is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder, employs electrostatically and then cured under heat, to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint. The main applications including household appliances, aluminum extrusions, drum hardware, automobile, motorcycle, and bicycle parts.
8. Heat Treatment
The process through utilizing heating or chilling usually under extreme temperatures to make the metal achieve a certain state or change some characteristics, heat treating techniques including annealing, tempering, hardening, precipitation strengthening, tempering, carburizing, normalizing and quenching.
9.Satin Finish
Apply a luster between the dull, non-shiny finish of matt materials and the bright and shiny finish of glossy finish. The visual effect is related to the lighting of the environment, satin metal finish is reflective, flat and glossy.
10. Abrasive blasting (Sandblasting)
The operation of propelling a stream of abrasive material composed of high-velocity sand-sizes particles against the metal surface under high pressure with blast equipment like air pressure system, to remove surface contaminants, clean metals or increase a texture, then change the smoothness or roughness of surface.
11. Conversion coating
It is also known as chromate conversion, the coating are used for metals converted to a protective layer through the chemical or electrochemical processes, primarily used as a corrosion inhibitor, decorative finish, or to retain electrical conductivity.
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Name: Litechworks Co., Ltd
Tel: +86-18617108738
E-mail: [email protected]
Add: Yan Nan Industry Park. No.4 1Rd HuDie. TianXin Cun, HuangJiang Town DongGuan City, 523763 GuangDong Province. China
