ANODIZED ALUMINUM: MANY ADVANTAGES IN ONE TREATMENT
Let's see in detail what the advantages of anodized aluminum are, given to the original material thanks to the oxide film that is formed after the treatment on the surfaces of the products, focusing more carefully on the design processes.
• Duration over time: the tests carried out on products subjected to anodization largely exceed one thousand hours in non-acetic salt spray, guaranteeing their inalterability and resistance over time, even in hostile environments, such as those linked to the sea or subject to strong meteorological aggressions.
• Higher hardness: the anodization of aluminum is an electro-chemical process that intervenes by modifying the structure of the aluminum and making it harder on the surface, guaranteeing the solidity necessary even for the most complex design projects.
• Abrasion resistance: the oxide layer produced by the anodization of aluminum hardens the anodized surface, making it suitable for placement in the most diverse types of environments.
• Lightness: the anodized aluminum object does not increase in weight. It was used, for example, to make the ATS aluminum wheel for the Porsche GT9R, the lightest ever made. Also ideal for design projects that require super light components.
• Valorisation of aluminium: the anodized aluminum surface can be worked with satin finishing, brushing, chemical and electrolytic finishes, which give greater value to the surface without hiding the extent of the raw material. A plus that enhances the design choices! •Color resistance to light: the anodized aluminium, after being immersed in an organic dye solution, absorbs the colored pigments, guaranteeing the durability and resistance of most of the coloring over time. This also makes it suitable for artefacts, including designer ones, to be placed outdoors even in areas exposed to the sun.
• Base for painting: anodizing aluminum allows you to create the ideal surface for the best adhesion of the paint, also guaranteeing the durability of the finished product over time, given that, even if the paint is scratched, the oxide layer protecting the aluminum remains.
• Finish quality: the anodization treatment guarantees the aluminum product a perfect aesthetic quality for high design furnishings, guaranteeing, among other things, over time, that the same level of finish can be reproduced through the anodization process. The range of colors of anodized aluminium, which are obtained through complex chemical and chemical-physical treatments, ensures greater prestige for designer products, even allowing customized colors to be obtained. •Heat exchange: very resistant to corrosion, but with a specific weight three times lower than steel and a superior thermal conductivity, aluminum is ideal for the creation of towel warmers and radiators, whose surfaces are treated with anodization processes to promote heat exchange.
• Product traceability: to guarantee the highest level of quality, aesthetics and above all structural, in companies that pay attention to product quality, the total traceability of anodized aluminum intervenes.
• Reduction of defects and waste: flames, lines, extrusion bands, slight friction, scratches and aluminum defects are reduced through micro-peening (sandblasting), a process which also allows production waste to be reduced. •Structural bonding: anodized aluminum components are also suitable for structural bonding (aluminium-aluminium, glass-aluminium, PVC-aluminium).
