First Class Metal Finishers is an expert in offering services for aluminum anodizing. The foundation of FC Metal Finishers is the extensive knowledge of highly skilled and specialized labor in the industry for more than 20 years. Our goal is to consistently exceed our customers' expectations, and we are dedicated to providing high-quality, error-free anodic films on schedule. No of the scale of the task, our team of skilled workers is prepared to fulfill your anodizing / hard coating needs. Every time, we'll offer you the best option for your electro-chemical conversion coating requirements. We hire professionals with a variety of talents who provide all necessary services under one roof.

Why Anodizing?

Perhaps the most frequently requested finish for aluminum machined parts is anodizing. Among the benefits of anodizing are:

.0002-.0012" for Type II, which is quite thin compared to paints and powder coats. For machined objects, coating thickness can frequently be disregarded.

extremely long-lasting, robust, abrasion-resistant, and durable. Coating doesn't flake or peel. significantly more durable surface than paint (harder than tool steel). Coating has an endless lifespan.

Some types (such architectural anodizing, for instance) have colors that are practically indestructibly resistant to fading in sunlight.

excellent resistance to corrosion. incredibly well withstands salt spray and other testing.

a finish that is environmentally friendly. is easily recyclable. Simple inorganic chemicals are produced, which have little effect on the environment.

excellent electrical insulator Low-voltage currents can be selectively masked when used in combination with other coatings.

Inexpensive. quite affordable compared to painting and powder coating.

Types of Anodizing

Type II (or "regular") sulfuric anodizing and Type III Hardcoat or "hard" sulfuric anodizing are the two types of anodizing that are most frequently found on machined items. The Type II and Type III designators are taken from the MIL-A-8625 standard military specification (there is also a Type I anodizing, but this is done using environmentally-unfriendly chromic acid, and it is rarely specified these days). Both Type II and Type III "hard" anodizing are very hard coatings. Type III "hard" anodizing is done at a lower temperature, is more expensive, and a little harder than Type II, but you need special equipment to tell the difference in practical terms. Type III, however, is much thicker than Type II, typically .002" vs. .0006" respectively, which makes it more resistant to scratching and heavy wear.

There is another type of anodizing, commonly called "architectural" anodizing. It is essentially the same as Type II anodizing above, but uses metallic ion dying which is completely colorfast in sunlight.