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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing 1989-2024
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Matching Finishes between Aluminium and Copper Parts
Q. We have a sandwich of components used in a medical product. The outer 2 parts are FC1 Aluminium and the centre part is CZ121 Brass
We'd like the appearance of the parts to be the same. Our prototypes are Satin Nickel on the Brass and Clear Anodise on the Aluminium parts but they don't work well aesthetically.
Does anyone have experience of matching the colour/finish on parts of different base materials such as these?
- London, UK
August 12, 2024
A. Hi Gary,
Without understanding your needs except for the color match, I would start with the fact that aluminum can be electroplated with anything you wish including satin nickel, if you wish.
But if you require the properties of anodizing (electrical insulation, wear resistance), you could try another type of plating on the brass, perhaps tin or palladium, or you could dye the anodizing, you could even dye it to match the brass.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. Matching finishes on different base materials like FC1 Aluminium and CZ121 Brass is challenging. Consider using a nickel plating on both materials or a tinted anodize on the aluminum to mimic the brass' satin nickel finish. Professional advice from a finishing specialist can help achieve the desired uniform appearance.
Ava Brown- MISSISSAUGA
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