Search our quarter-million Q&As

Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989

-----

Chromate or NO Chromate?

I am looking for a conversion coating, but I am told that waste regulations in California make this process too costly to do in house. I was wondering if there was an answer or an alternative to Chromate that will still meet MIL-C-5541 Class 3 specs. I am using this on a small amount of items and all will be aluminum.

Ryan

Ryan White
- Poway, California, USA
2000

---

Yes, you can anodize the aluminum part to achieve corrosion protection. In fact the anodizing is far superior to chromating and environmentally acceptable. Investment in equipment and know how may be needed depending on work volume.

Good luck

Khalil Sawalha
aluminum - Amman Jordan
2000

---

Better late than never. There is a new tri chrome that meets mil-C-5541 on 2000 series aluminum and many others.

Drew Nosti, CEF
Anodize USA - Ladson, South Carolina
2005

---

Hi folks. This thread is a bit dated. MIL-DTL-5541 [⇦ this spec on DLA] now includes trivalent chromate conversion coatings.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.

---

---