Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Color Anodizing of Magnesium
Q. I would like to have magnesium color anodized. Can this be done ?
RFQ: If yes where? (company /person)
Help please
Thank you
Sèrgio
Richard's Eng.
1998
Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)
A. Hi Sergio. To my (limited) knowledge it cannot be done generically, and perhaps cannot be done too well because magnesium is so corrosion prone; but on another thread Milt Stevenson tells us that there is a process out of New Zealand which is offered by finishing.com's supporting advertiser International Hardcoat in Detroit. So you might talk to them and see if this info is correct and if this process meets your needs.
Although aluminum can be anodized in a way that creates a fairly thick layer with pores/drill holes that will absorb dyes;
... and although titanium and stainless steel can be given a very thin transparent anodized layer that offers iridescent interference/diffraction colors;
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 2014
Q. I am told that magnesium cannot be anodized like Aluminum or made porous for painting? What is the equivalent process for magnesium?
Richard Leal- Linden, Michigan, USA
2007
by Dow Chemical Co.
is sometimes available on
AbeBooks,
eBay, or
Amazon
... but if not, you can find libraries which have copies on WorldCat.org
(affil links)
A. As you noted, Richard, they are different metals so they don't quite have "equivalent" processes.
But there are a number of processes for magnesium. In addition to Tom Pullizzi's article, if you patiently apply the search engine you will find a lot of forum threads on the subject. And there is an invaluable book by Dow on Magnesium Finishing if you are lucky enough to be able to find a copy.
Good luck.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007
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