Mechanical Finishing for Uniform Anodized Finishes
How do we fix a not uniform anodized finish?
Q. We produce a 4-inch size aluminum machined part that requires a good visually uniformed anodized finish. Our machining lines are visual after anodizing and the anodize is not uniform. What can we do to solve this?—J.J.
A. A combination of mass finishing and blasting is the way to solve these problems.
Featured Content
The vibratory process will smooth your machining lines and the bead blasting will cover what imperfections are left, producing a surface that will give you a uniformed anodize finish.
Step 1. Run the part in a vibratory system with a medium-sized super fast cut ceramic media. The refinement process will remove most of your cutting lines. The refinement process takes approximately 2 hours.
Step 2. Blast the part in a medium-heavy (No. 9 or No. 10) glass bead at 70 psi.
We also recommend this process with stainless medical parts for a super sheen blast finish. This finish is achieved with a very fine No. 13 glass bead. The very fine beads will not hide many imperfections, so prior vibratory finishing is necessary to prepare the surface for blasting.
Originally published in the July 2015 issue.
RELATED CONTENT
-
How to Select the Right Flap Disc
Consider these five variables to determine what fits your application.
-
Super Finish
How to achieve an isotropic finish using a traditional vibratory bowl—and why you’d want to do it
-
Polishing vs. Buffing: What's the Difference?
Is polishing the same as buffing? Mechanical finishing expert, Pat Wenino, explains the differences between the two processes.