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Fingerprint corrosion on Aluminum louvers

We have a project that the end product is a vent with Aluminum louvers. The size is about 1.5 ft x 2 ft. The louvers are made of Aluminum 1100 sheet metal. When a batch (1000 vents) is done, our customer found that finger prints were readily left on the louvers and caused corrosion.

It is too late and too costly to anodize a finished product like this. Can boiling the louvers in water be a solution to this problem? Or is there any recommendation? Chromate conversion will not be any option.

Lorin Tam
Hardware manufacturer - Hong Kong
2007

2007

Aluminum is an active metal, Lorin -- you have to do something in terms of a coating. Anodizing or chromating are long-term solutions. Boiling them and then clear coating them is a possible short-term solution. Simply boiling them and nothing else probably won't achieve much.

Next time, remember that the mechanical surface finish also plays a big part in fingerprint visibility. Also, everyone except the final consumer should always be wearing gloves. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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