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Testing Hardcoat with a Conductivity Tester

I have a tool (6061 Al)that was welded (2139, machined, and then anodized (hard coat). The appearance looks like an alligator skin with a montage of green and silver marks. Can you test with a conductivity tester to see if the hardcoat is present?

Mike Rule
Engineer - St Louis, Missouri, USA
2007

Hardcoat conductivity can be tested by ohmmeter with two metal contacts. Set the scale limit to 1 k-ohm, slightly touch the surface with two contacts in the distance 1-2 sm from each other. If ohmmeter reading shows more than 1 k-ohm, that it is good anodizing. However thickness of the coating can be tested only in metallographic laboratory with special equipment.

Anna Berkovich
Russamer Lab - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(ed. update July, 2025: sorry, Anna has retired)
2007

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