What is it? Anodising formed under specifically controlled conditions can produce coatings that are up to 50 microns thick and show excellent hardness and wear properties. These coatings have many applications in the engineering field to widen the use of aluminium and it's alloys.

What material can be Hardcoat Anodised? Hardcoat can be applied to many cast and wrought alloys. The appearance, thickness and wear properties of the oxide coatings will vary with the alloy being coated. Some alloys form better coatings than others due to the influence of the alloying constituents on the structure of the coating. Alloys should be low in silicon - 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 alloys are preferred.

How is it done? Hardcoat Anodising is produced by electrochemical methods similar to conventional Anodising, only the solution is operated at freezing point with the voltage automatically increased to levels that may exceed 100 volts. The components must be firmly held on a suitable rack constructed from aluminium or titanium. They are then chemically cleaned, etched and electrochemically treated.

How hard are the coatings? These file hard coatings have been measured as high as 70c Rockwell and withstood 200,000 cycles under the Tabor abrasion test. Recommended uses of Hardcoat Anodising. Hardcoat is used where you require wear, abrasion and corrosion resistance.

What colours are available? Hardcoat ranges from grey to brown shades depending to the alloy being processed. These coatings can be coloured by dyes to give darker shades.

What thickness is Hardcoat Anodising? Hardcoat film range from 25 microns to 75 microns. Since these coatings occupy more volume than the aluminium they were formed from, an allowance must be made for the increase in dimensions.

How flexible are these coatings? Hardcoat is glass like and should not be formed. The coefficient of thermal expansion of hard anodising is such that often fine hairline cracks will appear when the product is removed from the frozen solution and rinsed in room temperature water. These thermal cracks do not effect the performance of the product.

Can Hardcoat be machined? Hardcoat will quickly dull the edge of most cutting tools. If you need to machine the coating Finished Products can supply information on suitable procedures.

Does Hardcoat conduct electricity? Hardcoat is a very good insulator, particularly when the coatings are over 20 microns thick. If your product needs earthing points the film should be ground off or masked before processing.

What are the design considerations for trouble-free Hardcoat? The most important is in the selection of the aluminium alloy the product is made from. Alloys high in copper or silicon can cause problems in processing. Evaluation of the alloy is critical before production of any component. Don't design products that will trap chemicals during processing. Spot welded, riveted or assembled parts generally will cause production problems. Don't mix metals or alloys in the product; even metals such as stainless steel will be attacked or prevent the rest of the item from Hardcoating. Don't use marking pens or inks/paints on the product as the Hardcoat processing may cause permanent marking of the product or you may incur additional charges for removal.

What is the maximum size Finished Products can process? Finished Products can process components up to 2.8m long by 1m deep by .6m wide.

For more information on Anodising or to find out how Finished Products can help you achieve outstanding results for your surface finishing requirements, please feel free to contact us by telephone on +612 9602 9833 or send us an email by clicking on the "Contact Us" link below.