As machined

Parts with their surface left “as machined” have the tightest tolerances of any available surface finish, for the simple reason that nothing more is done to the surface of the part after it is manufactured. However, the surface will still have visible marks from the cutting tool. The standard surface roughness of parts left “as machined” is 3.2 μm (125 μin). This can be brought down further to 0.4 μm (16 μin) with additional operations from a finer end mill.

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Pros

-Tightest dimensional tolerances

-No extra cost (standard finish)

Cons

-Noticeable tool marks

Anodizing

Anodizing is an electrochemical process that transforms the naturally occurring oxide surface of aluminum and titanium. It thickens into a still relatively thin, hard, non-conductive ceramic coating. It reduces corrosion and wear and has widespread industry applications. Our Machine Shop can mask critical areas as well to retain tight tolerances. Finally, different color dyes are available to create a smooth, aesthetically satisfying appearance.

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Pros

-Durable, visually pleasing coating

-Can be applied to internal cavities

-Can be colored to any Pantone tone

Cons

-More brittle than powder coating

-Only compatible with aluminum and titanium

Powder coating

Powder coating is a process that electrostatically adds a dry polymer powder to the surface of a material. It is more durable than traditional liquid paint and adds an aesthetically pleasing surface. Our Machine Shop offers many different colors of powder coating.

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Pros

-Robust, wear and corrosion coating for functional applications

-Higher impact resistance than anodizing

-Compatible with all metal materials

Cons

-Can’t be applied to internal surfaces

-Less dimensional control compared to anodizing

-Not appropriate for small components

Bead blasting

Bead blasting creates a uniform satin or matte texture by blasting small media at an angle onto the surface of your part. Bead blasting is used mainly for visual purposes to remove all tool marks, and the resulting surface roughness may vary. Critical sections of the part can be covered and left unblasted if a higher level of smoothness is required.

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Pros

-Aesthetic pleasing matte or satin finish

-Low-cost surface finish

-Available in different stages of coarseness

Hard coat anodizing

Hard coat anodizing creates a thicker coating that is even more resistant to corrosion and abrasion than standard anodizing. This highly durable coat has low conductivity and can be used to achieve high levels of wear resistance. This is an appropriate finish for functional engineering applications. The typical thickness of a coat is 50 μm and typically, no additional color is added. In order to retain tight tolerances, critical areas can be masked.

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Pros

-High wear resistance coat for top-end engineering applications

-Can be applied to internal cavities

-Good dimensional contral

Cons

-More brittle than powder coating

-Only compatible with aluminum & titanium