Bright Dip Anodizing

Metal finishing is important for a variety of reasons. Bright Dipping is a chemical pre-finish that produces an extremely high luster on aluminum. The bright dipping process is performed on raw product and before the anodizing process. It is a preferred method of pre-treatment for the bulk anodize process as it creates a smoother surface on the part. The smoother the surface, the easier it is to secure the bulk fixture to obtain a better yield. And also helps improve the appearance when aesthetics are almost as important as a low price in automotive applications. While various types of anodizing can be used to finish aluminum, one type of finishing process applicable across a variety of industries is bright dip anodizing.

Bright dip anodizing offers several distinct advantages over other types of surface treatment methods, making it a clear choice when cosmetic finishes are critical to your product. Let's explore these benefits more closely to see why you should use bright dip anodizing on your aluminum components instead of other anodizing pre-treatment processes.

What is Bright Dipping and What is it Used for?

Bright dip anodizing is a chemical polishing process designed to brighten and embolden aluminum, usually to enhance the aesthetic of a metal part. It uses a combination of phosphoric and nitric acids, which level the roughness of the aluminum surface and help increase its specularity.

As a result, no deposits are left on the surface after treatment, which leads to a clean, attractive part that is smooth and better protected from scratching. Parts that are finished via bright dip anodizing are often brighter and can have a glossy appearance, depending on the type of anodizing process assigned.

Because bright dip anodizing can help create such attractive end parts - and in various colors, to boot – they're often used to enhance aftermarket automotive parts and components, light reflectors, appliances, architectural features, sporting goods, and even industrial and military components, among others.

Benefits of Bright Dip Anodizing

One of the biggest benefits associated with bright dip anodizing is the fact that when it's done correctly, it can significantly enhance part aesthetics due to its brightening ability. Parts finished via bright dip anodizing are glossy, smooth, and can be done in any color.

There are various other benefits to this part-finishing method as well:

It offers corrosion resistance properties and resistance to scratching
There are no deposits left on the surface, making for a truly smooth finish.
It applies to a wide range of parts and components across a variety of industries.
It's an applicable finishing method for complex part patterns and shapes.
Contact marks from fixtures used are not as easily seen due to the reflectivity of the surrounding areas, making it ideal for the cosmetic industry.
In some applications, bright dipping can be compared to a mechanical finish such as polishing.

Available Colors

Light Metals Coloring is proud to offer a variety of vibrant anodizing color options for a variety of applications. Common colors available include:

Gold
Blue
Green
Red
Copper
Black
Gray
Brown
Purple
Turquoise

Standard Specifications

MIL-A-8625 Type II (Class 1 & 2)
Layer thickness: 0.0001–0.0007 in
Substrate-metals: 2011, 2014, 2024, 5357, 5457, 5557, 6061, 6063, 6463, 7075, and others

Best Alloys for Bright Dip

The bright dip process has many receptive aluminum alloys for bright dip anodizing, with the most optimal alloys being in the 5000 and 6000 series due to their hardness. More specifically, alloys 5357, 5457, 5557, 6061, 6063, 6463, 7016, and 7029, have proven to be the most suitable for bright dipping. The more aluminum in the alloy of your part, the brighter it can be.

Contact LMC for Bright Dip Anodizing

Because of the complexity involved in the bright dip anodizing process, not all metal finishing shops have the capability to perform such in-house. However, at Light Metals Coloring, metal finishing is our specialty – and bright dip anodizing is one such process that we offer to our customers. For more information on bright dip anodizing and how it can take your metal part aesthetics to a new level, contact us today. We're standing by and ready to be your one-stop metal finishing provider Contact us today for a free quote on bright dip anodizing or to learn about the other metal finishing services that we provide.