The Science of Successfully Anodizing Die Cast Substrate

摘要

Die castings pose some of the most challenging problems in anodizing. The finish can be too thin, non-uniform or have an unfavorable appearance. These are common problems with a variety of practical solutions; they are easy to recognize, but in many instances, the source of the problem remains unknown. Critical to solving the problems of anodizing die castings is understanding the die cast substrate and the impact of surface condition, alloy composition, casting quality and microstruc-ture on the anodizing process. Substrate quality issues are just as important as anodizing conditions and technique, and sometimes trial and error testing on actual production parts must be done to find the best processing techniques.