Industrial Technical Anodizing

Aluminium is a non-ferromagnetic metal widely used in Materials Engineering, due to the proper traits balance it bears. Nevertheless, it oxidises with ease naturally, cutting down its performance. Anodizing is an electrolytic process developed during the 60s, which allows for getting, in a controlled manner, “alumina”, a thicker aluminium oxide layer with regular structure, which provides the aluminium with higher resistance and more endurance.

The name of the proceeding is due to the fact that the aluminium piece acts as anode in the electrolytic process.

The protection, to a great extent, depends on the thickness of the layer (measured in microns). In protecting anodizing the layer thickness may come to 25µm, whereas in hard anodizing it can reach up to 150 µm, being 50 µm the standard thickness.

This aluminium oxide layer shows a high hardness and a high wear resistance, what makes it possible for the aluminium to be used in new industrial applications exposed to heavy requirings against wear.