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Bead blasting on hardcoat anodizing

How does bead blasting affect the performance of hardcoat anodizing? If we do or do not bead blast the aluminum will it have an affect on the anodizing properties? We do it for surface cosmetics, but have improved the machining and are now wanting to stop the anodizing.

Scott Elsten
quality - pierceton, Indiana, USA
December 28, 2009

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Pretty vague question, as there are many applications for hard coat. For wear/friction resistance, I would think bead blasting prior to anodizing would be very detrimental. For corrosion resistance, not very detrimental, maybe a slight impact depending on processing parameters.

Marc Green
anodizer - Boise, Idaho
December 31, 2009

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Assuming you do not mean ON hardcoat, but on bare aluminum as surface preparation, then. (1) anodizing on a FLAT surface builds vertically, anodizing on a wavy surface as from manual blasting, builds with the vertical structure skewed and less likely to pass abrasion testing. (2) The media must be absolutely designated "aluminum only",if some guy on the night shift runs brass or steel, then you will imbed copper and/or iron into the soft "Kleenex-like" aluminum.

Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services

Garner, North Carolina

January 4, 2010