Current Anodizing Processes

Surface Coating

Working method

• Pretreatment
• Grounding
  (Chromatizing)
• Color Coating
• Curing of lacquer coat

Structure

• Grip coat ca. 1µm of Al oxide hydrates. Al-Cr phosphates
• Lacquer coat 30-80µm organ. polymers
• Color pigments distributed in lacquer coat

• Unlimited, including white; various degrees of gloss

• Metallic character of the aluminum lost, pigments cover underlying surface

• Good, depending on binder type and pigment quality; chalking observable in most cases

• Very good resistance to alkaline construction materials and corrosion influences
• May show chalking after a few years.

• Less resistant than anodized aluminum, flaking of lacquer coat possible

• Possible without dismantling, but with limitations;
• Shade/gloss is a problem
• Adhesion of repair lacquer may vary

• Buildings with a normal to high representative character

Back to Top >>

Integral Coloring

Working method

• Pretreatment
• Anodizing (special alloy + organic acid)
• Sealing*

Structure

• Coloring matter distributed in hard Al oxide, inseparably bound to the aluminum; anodic film thickness 15-40µm

Shades

• Brown, bronze, gray, slate; no special colors; no white

• Metallic character of the aluminum retained

• Outstanding, virtually unlimited durability, no chalking

• Sensitive to alkaline construction materials

• Extremely resistant; no flaking
• These coats are considerably harder than surface coatings

• Impossible without dismantling (but alien retouching possible on the building)

• Buildings with a highly representative character

Back to Top >>

Organic Dyeing

Working method

• Pretreatment
• Anodizing (no special alloy)
• Dyeing (with highly-fast organic dyes, without current)
• Sealing*

Structure

• Coloring matter (org. dye) in most cases incorporated throughout the coating, which is inseparably bound to the aluminum; minimum anodic film thickness 20µm

• Spectral colors; deep yellow, d. red, d. blue, d. turquoise, d. black; no brown, bronze or gray tones

• Metallic character of the aluminum retained; high brilliance

• Very good

• Sensitive to alkaline construction materials

• Like normal electrolytic dyeings; no flaking
• These coats are considerably harder than surface coatings

• Impossible without dismantling (but alien retouching possible on the building)

• Buildings with a highly representative character and a distinctive colorful appearance

Back to Top >>

Inorganic Dyeing

Working method

• Pretreatment
• Anodizing (no special alloy)
• Dyeing (with highly-fast, inorganic dye salts, without current 1- or 2- bath)
• Sealing*

Structure

• Coloring matter (heavy metal oxide hydrates; Fe, Co, Mn) incorporated in outer region of coating; minimum anodic film thickness 20µm

• Pale to dark bronze and gold tones, muted

• Metallic character retained; anodic film somewhat duller, especially with gold tones

• Very good

• Sensitive to alkaline construction materials

• Practically as with absorptive dyeings; no flaking
• These coats are considerably harder than surface coatings

• Impossible without dismantling (but alien retouching possible on the building)

• Buildings with high requirements as to appearance (metallic character)

Back to Top >>

Electrolytic Coloring

Working method

• Pretreatment
• Anodizing (no special alloy)
• Dyeing with metal salts and A.C.
• Sealing* or
• Coating with colorless lacquer, then curing

Structure

• Coloring matter at base of pores consists of metals in highly dispersed form inseparably bound to the aluminum; minimum anodic coat thickness 20µm

• Brown, bronze, gray, slate, black, pink, burgundy, no spectral colors, no white

• Metallic character of the aluminum retained

• Outstanding, no chalking

• Sensitive to alkaline construction materials

• Slightly less hard than color-anodized coats; no flaking
• These coats are considerably harder than surface coatings

• Impossible without dismantling (but alien retouching possible on the building)

• Building with high requirements as to appearance (metallic character)

Back to Top >>

Electrolytic Coloring Combined With Organic Dyeing

Working method

• Pretreatment
• Anodizing (no special alloy)
• Dyeing with highly-fast organic or inorganic dyes
• Sealing* (Nt)

Structure

• One coloring matter at base of pores, the other incorporated in the coating; min. anodic coat thickness 20µm

Shades

• Virtually unlimited, muted shades, no white

• Metallic character and surface appearance of the aluminum retained

• Outstanding, no chalking

• Sensitive to alkaline construction materials

• Like normal electrolytic dyeings; no flaking
• These coats are considerably harder than surface coatings

• Impossible without dismantling (but alien retouching possible on the building)

• Buildings with high requirements as to appearance (metallic character)

Back to Top >>

Find out more about anodizing...