Extruded aluminum alloys require little in the way of specific finishing as compared to other metals utilized in various sectors around the globe. This is due to the fact that solutions provided by the aluminum industry have a naturally attractive surface quality and appearance. Actually, aluminum’s inherent oxide coating is what makes it corrosion resistant. Unless the goal is to improve the product’s aesthetics or other attributes, extra aluminum coating solutions are usually unnecessary across most sectors and uses.
Finishing Options for Aluminum Extrusion
Aluminum goods, parts, and components are commonly coated with anodizing, powder coating, or painting, depending on whether they are standard or custom extrusions. There are further advantages to these choices besides enhancing the oxide layer’s inherent corrosion resistance, which is created by the aluminum itself. When you apply finishing treatments to aluminum extrusions, the color palette is practically limitless. Whether it’s to include a company’s colors into the branding or to incorporate color into the final design, our professionals at Silver City Aluminum can help customers develop custom hues.
Coating options for aluminum not only offer color, but also texture, which enhances the product’s usage. By raising the hardness or strengthening the surface structure generally, finishing may also give a greater wear resistance. Depending on the client’s demands, reflectivity might be increased or decreased. The industry that will be using the aluminum can even profit from the finishing treatments that give electrical insulation. Many of the many uses for extrusions don’t always call for coating solutions. On the other hand, finishing treatments can successfully imbue aluminum with additional protection, function, or a desired quality in some situations.
Anodizing Aluminum
The purpose of this method is to enhance the aluminum’s natural oxide layer. Another possible application is to make the oxide film thicker, which improves corrosion resistance and creates an electrically insulating covering. Protecting against abrasion and reducing slipperiness are two ways anodizing helps some sectors make their products safer. When combined with colors or gloss finishing, anodizing can become a decorative solution in and of itself, or it can be utilized as a base coat for various utilitarian or ornamental uses.
The amount of protection that is offered is dependent on the thickness of the anodizing coating. An easy protective layer is available for clients who only use their products indoors, while more complex options are available for those who work in harsh settings or who face extreme threats of abrasion and corrosion. Once manufacturing is complete, Silver City Aluminum offers a variety of aluminum coating methods that may be applied to both short and long parts in large or small batches. Anodizing in clear, black, color, or multi-color is only one of several possibilities available to clients. You may also order custom anodizing finishes if you’d like.
Powder Coating Options for Aluminum
Applying a powder coating to an aluminum surface and curing it with solvents is the process. The procedure is quite reproducible, so you may get precise results every time, and the color palette is practically endless. Because of their remarkable resistance to corrosion and ultraviolet radiation, powder-coated surfaces are suitable for use both indoors and out. Powder coatings enhance surfaces’ durability and eliminate the possibility of running or scorching, two issues that might arise with conventional aluminum coating treatments. When extruding aluminum alloys, the profile’s dimensions and tolerances determine the powder coating thickness.
Silver City Aluminum collaborates with a number of powder coaters and anodizers to provide our clients the finishes they want, both aesthetically and functionally. The powder-coating and anodizing solutions utilized to finish the procedure, in addition to the piece’s size and contour, determine the lead time. Contact our team of professionals directly for a professional consultation if you would like more information about the powder-coating choices that are available for finishing and aluminum coating solutions.
Aluminum Finishing Treatments
Painting aluminum products is another common activity at Silver City Aluminum. Painting takes more pre-treatment steps than other aluminum coating methods to guarantee uniform color applications and top-rated adherence. An etch, clean wash, neutralizing wash, and standard pre-wash are the four steps that make up our paint line’s practically continuous pre-treat finish. At that point, we apply the Polycron coating to the aluminum industrial solutions to ensure that the paint adheres effectively.
Anything up to twenty-one feet in length may be handled by our vertical electrostatic Polycron line. Paint is applied after all components have been cleaned, chemically prepared, dried, and checked for proper adhesion and surface smoothness. We continually check the pieces throughout the process as we apply the paint, which is roughly 2ml thick when wet. The materials are baked in one of our custom ovens to cure after painting. In order to ensure the highest level of quality control, our skilled technicians carefully remove each item off the line one by one.
Aluminum Coating Treatments
Do you want to know more about the coating and finishing choices for aluminum? Call Silver City Aluminum at 508-824-8631 to speak with a representative. We can assist you in identifying the appropriate standard or custom aluminum coating solutions for your project, whether you’re interested in anodizing, powder coating, or painting aluminum items.