Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: Tecan | Subject: Anodised titanium parts
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 22 November 2004
New process is green route to anodised
titanium
Tecan has developed a novel environmentally friendly process for the anodising of titanium parts.
At its dedicated GBP 1 million in-house electroplating facility, Weymouth based metal finishing specialist, Tecan has developed an environmentally friendly process for the anodising of titanium parts - a process believed to be unique in the UK Titanium offers excellent corrosion resistance, it is resistant to dilute sulphuric and hydrochloric acid, most organic acids, most chlorine gas, and chloride solutions - which means penetrating its surface oxide layer in preparation for anodising is a particularly tough job
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 12 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The ability to successfully anodise titanium is in itself uncommon, but to do this without using aggressive surface preparation acids is particularly unusual.
Tecan has achieved this without resorting to standard preparation solutions which contain nondilute hydrofluoric and sulphuric acids.
Instead, the company has developed a proprietary method based on alkaline solutions which successfully pre-etches titanium parts prior to anodising, while effectively protecting both its staff and the environment.
Further reading
Detailed precision parts with critical tolerances
Tecan can now electroform ultra-accurate three-dimensional parts where holes and lands may be produced up to ten times thinner than their own height - virtually impossible using any other technology
Can-on-board solder migration problems solved
Tecan Components has solved a range of problems associated with automated soldering of RFI screening cans/fences onto PCBs with the introduction of the 'Plimsoll line and lattice bridging stencils'.
Crucially, the new method meets the established ISO8080 standard without the use of acids.
The company has also developed equally "green" techniques for plating titanium, with finishes such as PTFE and nickel, to facilitate novel assembly requirements or for aesthetic finishes.
Typical application areas include low-volume high-specification parts for new-generation military, aerospace and harsh industrial environments.
Titanium anodising is often used as a prepainting process to provide a good "key" for high-performance paint finishes.
The process is flexible enough to create varying levels of anodising to meet individual needs.
A well-established distribution service can, subject to qualification, despatch finished parts within three working days of order.
The GBP 1 million purpose-built facility provides OEMs and specialists with access to market leading high-specification surface-finishing and cost-effective bespoke plating for both everyday solutions and the most demanding niche applications.
Finishes available include acid gold, pure gold, silver, bright tin, 60/40 tin lead, 90/10 tin lead, sulphamate nickel, electroless nickel, copper, Type 1 sulphuric anodising and Type 3 hard anodising (colours to specification), stainless steel passivating, and Alochrome 1200 chemical blackening.
Nondestructive XRF and atomic absorption test instruments are employed, to ensure consistently flat and even surfaces and desired thickness meet the required specifications.
QA programmes can be tailored to suit individual statistical process control (SPC) needs, with traceability reports generated as necessary.
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