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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Please verify...Are my bath solutions correct?
2004
In regards to type II aluminum anodizing : I am just starting out in this business and have been doing an extreme amount of research into the matter. I have been anodizing small parts (up to 1 sq. ft surface area) in my shop now for weeks while producing excellent results. I am mixing all of my own bath solutions opposed to purchasing pre-mixed solutions. The purpose of this forum post is to double check with the experts here at www.finishing.com and to make absolutely certain that the solutions I am mixing are suitable to run on a large scale anodizing line.
(1) Cleaning/Degreasing Bath : 25%
Simple Green
⇦ this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links]
(an industrial degreaser) and 75% distilled water. Operated at 160°F while utilizing vigorous agitation.
(2) Stripper Bath : 3.5 pints phosphoric acid + 1.75 lb chromic acid into 10 gal of distilled water. Operated at 180°F while utilizing vigorous agitation.
(3) Etcher Bath : 10% Sodium Hydroxide by volume in distilled water. Operated at 110°F while utilizing mild agitation.
(4) De-Smutting Bath : 25% by volume of Nitric Acid in Distilled water. Operated at room temperature while utilizing vigorous agitation.
(5) Electrolyte Solution : 9.4% Sulfuric Acid & 90.6% distilled water by volume or 165 grams/liter by weight. Operated at 68-72 °F while utilizing utilizing mild agitation.
(6) Sealer Bath : 0.5-1.0 oz of Nickel Acetate per 1 gallon of distilled water while operated at 195-205°F. Utilizing mild agitation.
** NOTE ** To date I have not been able to pin down a Bright Dipping bath formula and for rinse stations I am utilizing distilled water at room temperature.
Thanks so much for your input people. You have no idea how www.finishing.com has aided me through this learning process (which is no where near completion).
Cheers!
Daniel DeGueldre
anodizing shop entrepreneur - Ste. Anne, Manitoba, Canada
A simple answer is NO! As a toy this is fine but to do production work and compete with the technically advanced anodizer, you would be at a major disadvantage. When your ready to do serious work I suggest you get some good suppliers and pay the price for the expertise they have.This may sound cocky but the difference between cocky and confident is performance!
Drew Nosti, CEF
Anodize USA
Ladson, South Carolina
2004
Those aren't fair questions to ask on this forum. Developing anodizing solutions from scratch involves a lot of time, money, and hard work to get it right. There are those here who did all three and are offering their solutions as their products. It's not fair to expect them to just give it away. If you really want to mix your own go ahead, but do you appreciate the magnitude of what you are getting into? I'm inclined to doubt that it will really save you any money.
Paul Yursis [deceased]- Columbia, Maryland, USA
Ed. note: it is our sad duty to advise of the passing of Paul Yursis in August 2005.
Here is a brief obituary by Mike Caswell.
Drew and Paul,
I can't find any wrong with Daniel's anodizing line. If I should set up a anodizing line I wouldn't buy it from a supplier when I can mix them by my self, it's simple chemicals, only the dyeing with different color I would buy from a supplier.
Regards
Anders Sundman
4th Generation Surface Engineering
Consultant - Arvika,
Sweden
2004
|
We have been mixing our own from scratch for over 30 years, the formulations are not particularly secret. And we are a certified aerospace shop. However in my extensive experience in anodizing I have found that the quality of the finish depends as much on the power supply as the bath, and here for certain home-brew won't cut it. Robert Gauthier- Montreal, Quebec, CANADA 2004 With 30 years experience, you know how to anodize and you know what's important. For a beginner who is opening an anodizing shop, though, to try to mix everything in house from raw chemicals, and proceed without the hands-on help afforded by recognized suppliers, is an awfully difficult path to follow--and one which almost surely will cost a lot more before it's over than starting up with proprietary chemicals.  Ted Mooney, P.E. Striving to live Aloha finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey 2004 If you don't see the problems caused by using these parameters in a full scale production facility than you haven't been around many anodizing lines which comply with government waste regulations or ones who comply with ISO 9000, Boeing inspectors and the new Nadcap inspectors. I will repeat: as a toy/hobby it is fine but it will not be acceptable for today's quality international standards. When he is ready to upscale to a real production facility I strongly suggest he retains competent suppliers who can set him straight and keep him out of trouble. Drew Nosti, CEF Anodize USA Ladson, South Carolina 2004 |
In regards to the statement made above "as a toy/hobby it is fine but it will not be acceptable for today's quality international standards...When he is ready to upscale to a real production facility I strongly suggest he retains competent suppliers who can set him straight and keep him out of trouble." I make this comment, thank you. Thank you for your honesty and "no beating around the bush" statement. These are the sort of responses I am in fact looking for.
Now, to set the record straight. I do intend to upscale to a full production shop in the future, however, to clarify myself, in the mean time I wish to learn a little bit about the base chemicals I am going to be using themselves. I realize that a good supplier will not only be able to answer important questions but will also be able to provide pre-mixed chemicals which contain additives and enhancements which will not only make my life easier but possibly safer. In my garage, at the moment, working on the scale in which I work, I enjoy the challenges of learning what sulfuric acid does when used in an electrolyte bath, and what sodium hydroxide does to bare aluminum. I am taking this business venture very seriously, however, I am taking it in stride an do not feel rushed to open shop.
Basically, want I wish to relay is that in the end I intend on utilizing a good supplier and in fact, if you are a supplier of such products please email me so I can converse with you. I am more than willing to purchase pre-fabricated bath products during my experimental stages, in fact it may very well add to the experience.
Thank you all for posting, I appreciate every post!
Daniel DeGueldre
anodizing shop entrepreneur - Ste. Anne, Manitoba, Canada
2004
A. Robert hit it on the head with his caution about the power supply. I would amplify this by saying its not just having the correct power supply, you have to know how to use it properly.
Learning how to apply Ohm's Law to anodizing will be an invaluable tool. Armed with this you can reduce the electrical side of anodizing to a few simple equations, and suddenly your results become predictable and remarkably consistent.
This Industry suffers from the penchant of attempting to formulate elaborate and labor intensive chemical solutions to solve stupidly simple electrical problems. Truly a case of "treating the symptoms and not the disease".
- Columbia, Maryland, USA
Ed. note: it is our sad duty to advise of the passing of Paul Yursis in August 2005.
Here is a brief obituary by Mike Caswell.
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