Pioneer Metal Finishing
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Hard Anodizing

(Type III Anodizing - also referred to as Hardcoat Anodizing)

  • MIL-A-8625 Type III, Class 1 & 2
  • AMS 2468
  • AMS 2469
  • AMS 2482

Pioneer Metal Finishing hardcoat anodizing exceeds wear characteristics of other hard coatings such as electroless nickel, hardchrome, and ceramic.

The Pioneer hardcoat anodizing process produces superior hardness and denseness — when a part is hardcoated, it increases the micro finish 2-5 times, depending on the alloy.

  • Unmatched wear properties
  • Coatings wear as well as or better than hardened steels (HRC values of 70) as judged by Suga and Taber Wear tests.
  • Can achieve salt spray resistance in excess of 1000 hours.
  • Good for salvage work of parts with critical dimensional specifications.
  • Can achieve very tight tolerances.
  • High dielectric strength to 2000VDC.
  • Heat dissipation

Taber abrasion testing shows that Pioneer Metal Finishing Hardcoat exceeds wear characteristics of other hard coatings such as electroless nickel, hardchrome, and ceramic.

Some industrial applications of Hardcoat anodizing include highly intricate parts such as pistons, anti-lock brake assemblies, pump components, valves, sliding parts, insulation plates and transmission parts. Some retail applications for Hardcoat anodizing and Sulfuric anodizing include cookware, bike rims, locks and levels.

Hard Lube

Recent developments, such as lubricity, have added a new dimension to the successfully hardcoated product without altering the tolerances of the Hardcoated part. When a customer requires a finished piece that will be subject to friction under close tolerance conditions and where a solid film lubricant would cause problems, a lubricant after the hardcoating process could be the answer.

Pioneer Metal Finishing Hard Lube produces a hardcoat finish that is combined with a proprietary PTFE process to improve the lubricity of the hardcoated surface.

Salvage Through Hardcoating

The use of hardcoat for salvage operations has proven very successful. Parts rejected because of bores that have been machined oversized are being hardcoated and honed to become acceptable parts. Wrought and cast alloys both lend themselves to salvage operations, but the hardcoat thickness that can be applied is governed by the alloy of the salvage part. Salvage through hardcoat pays off. A prime example is in the aircraft industry, where parts costing thousands of dollars to machine are being salvaged by hardcoating the oversized bores.

The final appearance of a hardcoated surface depends on the alloy and thickness of the coating. The color of an undyed finish can range from gray to black and various shades of bronze can be produced. If close tolerances aren't a factor, Bright Dip will improve the appearance of the finish.

Alloys and Castings: The Effects on Hardcoat Anodizing Processes

The final appearance of a hardcoated surface depends on the alloy and thickness of the coating. The color of an undyed finish can range from gray to black and various shades of bronze can be produced. If close tolerances aren't a factor, Bright Dip will improve the appearance of the finish.

Over 200 aluminum alloys, each with up to eight different tempers or hardness values, are available. Each alloy and temper displays unique characteristics with respect to anodic films that can be formed.