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Shop asks effect on hardness of hardcoating at 50 degrees

What is the effect on the hardcoat relative to hardness in a 30 degree bath and/or a 50 degree bath? In other words, is hardness affected by processing at higher temps? If so, is it a big factor or relatively small?

Frank Shannon
plating/anodizing job shop - Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
2003

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There is a major difference! A number of companies sell a "high temp hardcoat additive" to allow you to do hard coat at 50 F, BUT-- it is a poor mans substitute and not the real thing. Will it work for some applications-YES-- Will it work for all applications - NO! The customer must be made aware of the differences before you sell it as "hardcoat" or you will open yourself up for some large liabilities if someone switched to your product and it fails. That said, if you choose your applications carefully, it will work satisfactorily in half of the possible applications. It might be worth the extra bucks to buy a larger cooling system and sell the real thing.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2003