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-----Chrome Conversion Coating of Aluminum - Military vs. Industrial Specs.
2001
I'm looking at the possibility of reducing cost of our products by substituting industrial/commercial specifications for the current MIL-spec, MIL-C-5541. The SAE AMS2473 specification looks substantially identical to the MIL-spec insofar as coating performance is concerned.
We use 6061 and 2024 aluminum.
Would we expect to save money by pursuing this idea, or is it all done in the same tank using the same process anyway?
Are we missing something re. performance equivalency? Do suppliers send a certificate of conformance for parts that are processed to industry specs. as they do when MIL specs. are used?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Larry C [surname deleted for privacy by Editor]
electronics - Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Hi, Larry.
As the buyer, you get to specify anything you wish, and the plating shop will almost surely certify to it without any issues.
There are a very few shops who maintain separate process lines for compliance to particular specs; for example, one process line might be NADCAP certified and another not. In that case you might save some money by letting the shop run the line which isn't certified. But that is pretty unusual and your original supposition that the parts will go through the same process steps is probably correct almost all the time. There may be opportunities for some savings by dispensing with certain testing protocols if they are not important to your operation.
Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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