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Letter 8022
Anodizing or Plating?
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I am trying to get a job promotion at major airlines. I have done
chromic and sulphuric anodizing at another airlines. The present
company is not considering me as they are saying anodizing is not a
form of plating. Could you send me info stating otherwise or what
each process involves? Any info to relate the two would be greatly
appreciated and if done in timely manner would be of help also.
Thank you ,
T. Schutt
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
First of five simultaneous responses-- +
While both are electrochemical process, anodizing produces a
coating made from the oxide of the base metal (generally done on
aluminum). Electroplating involves deposition of a metal on the
surface of another metal.
I wonder why your experience in anodizing doesn't count in the
airline you're working with because both are utilized to process
airplane parts.
Dado Macapagal
- Toronto, Ontario
Second of five simultaneous responses-- +
Anodizing is almost the opposite of plating, in that the
polarities are reversed. Unfortunately, simply reversing the polarity
(making the work cathodic) does not qualify you as a plater. Just as
there is some degree of skill required for successful anodizing, a
similar amount of skill should be expected to be a competent plater.
And since there are so many different plating scenarios, you haven't
even scratched the surface...
George Brackett III
- Utica, New York
Third of five simultaneous responses-- +
Dear Mr. Schutt:
In a strictly technical sense, anodizing is not plating because
anodizing is the creation of an oxide film on a part whereas plating
is the creation of a film of metal on a part.
However...
- Anodizing is covered in the major training courses for plating
(including the American Electroplaters and Surface Finishing Society
course, and the American Society for Metals Electroplating course).
- - Anodizing constitutes a chapter (or more) in most of the
major plating textbooks including--
- The Electroplating Engineering
Handbook
- The Metal Finishing Guidebook,
- The
Products Finishing [link is to product info at Amazon]
Directory and Products Guide ,and
- The Canning
Handbook
- The equipment is designed and supplied by the same engineers at
the same suppliers, and most of the pieces of the equipment function
identically.
- The pretreatment steps are similar, the wastewater treatment is
similar, the heating/cooling, filtration, exhaust ventilation,
rectifiers, bussing, tanks, tank linings, racking, material handling,
etc. are similar.
- Many shops do both plating and anodizing and the employees shift
from one area to another, as easily as shifting from one plating to
another.
- In a practical sense, few people attempt to build a practical
barrier between what is plating and what is anodizing, and I would
think that experience in anodizing is roughly as valuable to a
well-rounded plater as experience in any particular metal plating.
Good luck in your efforts.
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Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
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Fourth of five simultaneous responses-- +
Anodizing is an electrochemical process that thickens and toughens
the naturally occurring protective oxide. Plating is also an
electrochemical process, but applies another metal with the
properties you are seeking as the protective coating.
Richard Van Dyk
- Orlando, FL
Fifth of five simultaneous responses-- +
The main difference between anodizing & plating is that when
you plate you are depositing one layer of metal onto another, where
as in anodizing you are creating a coating that builds up & build
into the part. Anodizing can not chip off like a layer of plating. If
I were looking for a job, I would say the two are rather similar in
that they are both types or metal finishing.
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Where I work, they consider anodizing plating, we also use this
method on airplane parts.
Freddie L Duncil
- W.Alex.Ohio, Preble
Dear Reader, please --
- Post a new
question
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- Answer or follow-up on this
subject (in non-commercial
fashion).
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