TECHNICAL RESOURCES

Notes from the process floor, written for engineers.

Specification comparisons, process explainers and practical guidance for designing parts that finish the way you expect.

ANODIZING

Type I vs Type II vs Type III: Choosing the Right Anodizing Class

A practical comparison of chromic, sulfuric and hard anodizing — thickness, fatigue impact, and where each is specified.

6 MIN READ
PLATING

Zinc Plating vs Electroless Nickel: Matching Coating to Geometry

Why deposit uniformity matters more than coating type for parts with bores, threads and complex internal features.

5 MIN READ
QUALITY

Reading a Salt Spray Report: What ASTM B117 Actually Tells You

Hours-to-red-rust is only part of the story. How to interpret salt spray results alongside coating thickness data.

7 MIN READ
DESIGN GUIDANCE

Designing for Anodizing: Tolerances, Racking Points & Masking

Small drawing decisions — chamfers, rack-mark zones, thread callouts — that save a re-spec cycle later.

8 MIN READ
SUSTAINABILITY

BSAA as a Chromium-Free Alternative for Bonded Structures

How boric sulfuric acid anodizing matches chromic anodizing's bond performance without hexavalent chromium.

5 MIN READ
STAINLESS

Passivation vs Electropolishing: Two Different Jobs

One restores corrosion resistance, the other removes material to smooth the surface — when you need both.

6 MIN READ

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