Successful execution of the anodizing process
is key to producing a high quality, long-lasting coating for
your product. However, there is much more to the process than
meets the eye.
1. Cleaning To assure a consistent finish, it is very important
to start with a clean product - which is why Pilkington has
invested in a comprehensive pretreatment program.
Because cleaning is so critical, you should
always confirm that this step will be included as part of
the anodizing process. At Pilkington, your product is cleaned
using one or more of the following methods:
ultrasonic vapor degreasing
acid wash
alkaline cleaning
2. Mechanical and Chemical Pre-Treatments
After cleaning, your product is pre-treated to achieve the
desired degree of reflectivity. Again, the quality of your
finish depends upon skilled execution of these pre-treatment
techniques, which can be used to create three different finished
looks:
bright dip (highly reflective, gloss-like
finish)
satin (low lustre - the most common
finish)
matte (flat finish)
3. Treatment
This is the step where your product is actually anodized.
However, you should be aware that not all anodizing treatments
are 'created equal'. To assure the very best in quality, Pilkington
uses MIL-A8625 Type II and Type III certified treatments.
Your anodizing options include:
standard sulfuric anodizing
hardcoat anodizing
4. Finish
During the last step of the anodizing process, the final finish
is achieved through application of the following:
