Need help packing anodizing baskets.

A. Just personal opinion, but that sounds like the wrong technology for addressing the problem. Think about a vibrating table you can put the basket on so you can forget about not just the lubricant but the beating and pounding as well.

Regards,

A. I used to anodize pencil ferrules when pencils were still made here in the U.S. We learned very quickly that a vibrator was a necessary part of the bulk anodizing business. Some ferrules were bright dipped loose, then packed tight for anodizing. The bright-dipped ferrules had no protective natural oxide, and their coefficient of friction was so high that we could not pack them at all unless we vibrated them. It's probably too late , but doughnut-shaped baskets were also a big help in getting a uniform anodize, which is especially important for bright or dyed work. I have seen the same design recently in one of the Titanium rack suppliers' catalog.

Voids are inevitable no matter how tight you pack baskets; shake a basket after it's packed and you will hear some of them. The inevitable inspection and removal of voids were built into the labor costs. We used to shoot for 90% acceptance for ferrules, higher for solid parts like rivets. The water-soluble lubricant problem sounds like an interesting idea, but I don't know if you could ever rinse it all out, which would be necessary for a good anodize.

Phil Johnson
- Madison Heights, Michigan
1999