Naturally, aluminium is one of those materials that has been created with a remarkable aesthetic and functional appeal. When it is exposed to air, aluminium forms a protective oxide on its surface to prevent corrosion. The oxide works well in many domestic and industrial applications, but extreme environments call for a more aggressive form of surface protection. To add on that, you can opt for another finish to enhance the looks of your fittings and make them suit the area where you are installing them. Here is a look at some of the finishing choices available for aluminium foils and rods:
Powder Coating
Powder coating is one of the methods used for coating metals, including aluminium. The coating is applied in the form of a dry, free-flowing powder without using any solvents. In conventional coating techniques, binders and fillers are mixed with solvents to form a suspension, which is then applied generously to the surface of the aluminium. However, powder coating is applied electrostatically after mixing the powder with levelling agents, pigments and curatives. This enables you to go for different colour shades on the aluminium sheets and rods.
Mechanical Finishes
Mechanical finish is another common technique. However, fabricators are very careful when working on aluminium because of the special attributes that the metal has. For instance, aluminium has a range of alloys that must be handled with special finishing equipment to prevent damage to their surface.
Essentially, mechanical finishes refine the surface of aluminium through abrasion. The fabricator carefully grinds the surface of the aluminium to get rid of the unwanted materials to attain a smooth, appealing and polished look. Notably, mechanical finishes can also be done through buffing, blasting, embossing and shot peening. All these techniques lead to the same results, and they are used depending on the characteristics of the aluminium that the fabricator is working on.
Anodising
This is the use of an electric current to coat the surface of the aluminium. The aim is to increase the layer of oxide that forms naturally on the surface of the aluminium, improving the overall level of protection in the end. During the process of anodising aluminium, an electric circuit is set up to initiate and complete the electrochemical process. The fabricator can introduce dyes to throw some colour into the finish and enhance the look of the finish. These colours range from nickel, gold and black, although silver and black are the most commonly used shades.
Share17 April 2017
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