The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Cost of anodizing and plasma spray process

I am currently investigating the cost of two different aluminum coating processes: hard anodizing and plasma spray. I am wondering how much the equipment costs (for anodizing: a 200 liter bath) as well as the cost of the actual coating process. In this case study the part to be coated has a cylindrical shape (length 0.5 meter and diameter 0.1 meter), the coating thickness is 0.2mm and the coating material is alumina. We imagine three different scenarios: 100 parts, 1000 parts and 10'000 parts. If it is possible we would like to know the cost of each step in the process as well as the cost of each ingredient (pretreatment, coating material, electrolyte, washing, finishing, labour cost, waste cost, etc.). If anybody can provide some information about the above outlined matters, it would be highly appreciated. //Charlaine

Charlaine Gravel
- Geneva, Switzerland
2000

---

It is quite difficult to apply aluminum by plasma. Aluminum oxide is possible by plasma, but on a part that large, you will probably have some variance in thickness.

Anodize will be a lot more uniform, but you will not be able to get half of the thickness you stated.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2000

---

At an Aerospace company I used to work for we sprayed aluminum plasma on to turbine engine airseals with much success. If my memory serves me correctly, we used a Plasmadyne unit for this.

The spray could be applied as thick as .060 by Prattamp & Whitney; engine manual specifications. Dim accuracy of the spray prior to finish machining was better than .001

Scotty Ray
- Dublin, Georgia
2000