One of the major advantages to choosing a manufacturer for your custom aluminum extrusion work that is done at a one stop shop fabrication and finishing facility, is quality control. When everything is done under one roof, including the custom aluminum coating solutions and other finishing options, you know that it will all be consistent and dependable. Aluminum industry solutions that require additional finishing beyond the natural anti-corrosive properties can be used to increase those properties, improve function of the finished piece, or to just add decoration.
There are many ways to add finishing to your standard and custom aluminum extrusions. Anodizing, powder-coating, texturizing and painting aluminum products, are just some of the more popular options. When you place your order for aluminum industry solutions at Silver City Aluminum, make sure to discuss your ideas for finishing, as well as any secondary operations and special options that you want to be included. Because we do it all in-house, we can make plans from the initial order to include the work that you need completed, reducing your lead time significantly compared to other facilities that have to send the work out to be done at third-party operations facilities.
Custom Aluminum Finishing
When it comes time to decide what you want for your aluminum parts and products at our one stop shop fabrication and finishing facility, there are a lot of options available for you to choose from for aluminum industry solutions. Fortunately, aluminum already has a natural resistance to corrosion, so in most cases, additional treatment is not needed. Some of the attributes that you may want to add to your finished parts and pieces may have more to do with aesthetics and function than resistance to weather or corrosive materials.
Some examples of common finishing goals can include:
- adding a color to the material
- improving or changing the surface structure
- increasing the resistance to corrosion or damage
- boosting wear resistance and hardness
- diminishing or increasing reflectivity
- increased electrical insulation
Parts & Products That Don’t Need Finishing
There are definitely some times when finishing is not needed. Custom aluminum coating solutions are used most in consumer-based products to help with aesthetics or to improve texture and grip for function. Machine parts, load-bearing structures for construction and architecture, as well as other parts and products that are not seen or handled, very likely won’t need to be coated or painted. Painting aluminum products can be done in-house by our team as part of your order or it can be done at your manufacturing and assembly facility. Either way, it is important to identify your goals in choosing finishing solutions to evaluate whether or not it is cost-effective or beneficial to the finished product.
Other Methods of Finishing
In addition to painting aluminum products, anodizing and powder-coating aluminum extrusions, there are other methods used for finishing. External decoration can be used to hide any stripes caused by the extrusion profile or die. This can be achieved by polishing, grinding or tumbling, such as deburring, which is used standard here at Silver City Aluminum. Polishing your aluminum industry solutions can increase the gloss for a high-quality finish. It can either be followed by anodizing or another type of treatment or be left as-is. Our one stop shop fabrication can assist you with any of these custom aluminum coating solutions and finishing.
Some of the benefits of finishing can include:
- providing a base for painting aluminum products or branding
- creating a repellent surface for medical or food service industries
- establishing a durable gloss, color and texture
- help the product remain new looking and feeling
- integrate surfaces that are resistant to slipping and abrasion
The Process for Finishing Aluminum
At Silver City Aluminum, we have a four step process that includes pre-treatment, anodizing, coloring and sealing. We do all of this at our one stop shop fabrication facility. However, in addition to doing all of this for anodizing, powder-coating and painting aluminum products, we also have an additional four stage process that we use for pre-treatment of all our standard and custom aluminum extrusions.
Our four step process for pre-treatment includes:
- etching
- clean wash
- neutralizing wash
- standard pre-wash
All of these extra steps guarantee top quality adhesion to the aluminum industry solutions to increase the results and durability for the life of the product. Once the parts have been finished and then cured, they are taken off the line one at a time by hand, inspected by our highly trained technicians and are then taken to our shipping department. Quality control and consistency with each and every product that we fabricate is a requirement at Silver City Aluminum.
Contact our team at Silver City Aluminum to provide you with a FREE estimate on your next project for standard or custom aluminum industry solutions. Make sure to ask about anodizing, powder-coating or painting aluminum products, if you want additional finishing services. Call today at 508-824-8631 to get started designing your custom products.