Anodizing Services

Anodizing is a metal finishing process that is used to provide a corrosion-resistant, durable, and attractive finish for aluminum parts. At Light Metals Coloring in Southington CT, we’ve developed five cutting-edge anodizing business units, each with its own price point, delivery, and value proposition. This allows us to provide our customers with the best quality and performance for their products. 

Learn more about our anodizing services below: 

High-Precision Rack Anodizing

This manufacturing cell is reserved for high-quality components with a need for close tolerances, specific racking requirements, zero defects, or special packaging. It is typically used for higher-end, precision-machined aluminum parts.

High-Efficiency Rack Anodizing

When you require a lower per-piece cost and higher volumes, high-efficiency (HE) rack anodizing is your best option. Our in-house rack fabrication department maintains an inventory of custom-built racks that are designed for maximum loading and unloading efficiencies, offering you the lowest possible rack anodizing costs. Although we specialize in pieces that are .187" to 3" in diameter, we are capable of handling larger sizes of up to 28" in length. This anodizing service is usually chosen for components where cost is most important and specialty packaging is not needed.

High-Efficiency Bulk Anodizing

Depending on your quality requirements, HE bulk anodizing is your lowest-cost option. This anodizing service is an excellent choice for rivets, ferrules, bolts, screws, fasteners, grommets, and any other small, loose parts where speed and volume are required to make production economical. LMC is one of the originators of the bulk anodizing process, which dates back to 1945.

High-Precision Hard Coat

Type III anodizing, also called hard coat anodizing, is a thicker variation – usually between 25 and 150μm – that requires more process control. Because a hard anodized coating is extremely tough and durable, it is often used where abrasion, corrosion resistance, and surface hardness are critical factors. Essentially, hard-coating is a sulfuric acid anodizing process where the electrolyte concentration, temperature, and electrical current parameters are optimized to produce a hardened surface. Our hard coat has withstood more than 1,000 hours of continual salt spray testing without failure, providing tremendous corrosion resistance – a fact readily advertised by some of the major companies we serve.

High-Efficiency Hard Coat

HE hard coat is an ideal anodizing solution for those who need a lower per-piece cost and higher volumes. This extremely tough and durable finish provides surface hardness for abrasion and corrosion resistance. Our racks are designed and built in-house to offer the fastest load and unload times. This anodizing service is reserved for smaller parts in larger quantities and offers the lowest costs for hard coating.

Quality Anodizing Specifications

In addition to safety, environmental, and quality regulations, we also strive to consistently comply with industry-related laws that pertain to our clients. This includes compliance with ITAR regulations, ATF regulations, and more.

We provide a variety of anodizing specifications, including: