Surface Treating

What Type of Parts are Good Candidates for Surface Treating

Metal parts are good candidates for such specialized forms of surface treatment as chromatin and anodizing.  Both of these processes involve laying a thin oxide layer on surfaces to prevent corrosion.  This must be a consideration in all metal fabrication, yet metal has so many attractive features that many forms of surface treatment have been developed to arrest the onslaught of corrosion.  The number of techniques that may be used show metals many advantages.  Techniques involving extreme temperatures, acids, electricity, and pressure can all be applied without causing the material to be fundamentally altered or weakened.

Designing Parts for Surface Treating

Surface treatment is used in a wide variety of applications both to cleanse materials and further enhance their capabilities.  For instance, chemicals may be used to change the molecular structure of a component to make it more or less electrically conductive depending on which outcome is the more desired.  This will often be referred to as active chemical surface treatment.  This link will provide a fuller explanation of the details involved including the use of abrasives.  The chemicals involved in this form an entire subset of their own known as abrasive treatment or more fully abrasive surface treatment.  Their function will usually be to aid the bonding of materials together by allowing them to adhere to one another more fully.  Proper surface preparation is a key to making the process work quickly and making the connection long lasting.  While caustic chemicals can in and of themselves perform this function, the method of application is also a critical factor.  With abrasive blasting, the chemicals used may be inert on their own, but they are applied with such force that the surface composition is altered through sheer force of impact.

Sourcing Surface Treating

Glass and plastic parts are also suitable candidates for surface treatment though greater care must be taken in selecting which process to use.  Glass is subject to breakage and scratching while plastics can have these drawbacks as well and in addition can begin to warp and lose strength as temperatures rise.  Elastomeric have been developed which allow plastics to return to their original shape after heat warping.  This will permit flame treatment to be used to remove contaminant from plastic surfaces.  High pressure water blasting may be used for the surface treatment of glass.