The importance of surface treatments for die-cast aluminum

A piece of aluminum derived from die-casting often needs surface treatments to be introduced into the market. These processes transform the aesthetics of the object, in particular make it usable in buildings where these pieces are visible, be they industrial or architectural. For this reason italpres is equipped with an internal department dedicated to some of the surface treatments: the company is able to refine the pieces produced by itself through the die-casting process and deliver them to the customer ready to use, without having to delegate to third parties the treatments, with the risk of a loss of quality control on the product derived from die-casting. In essence, surface treatments on aluminum are a business card because they transform a raw product into a finished object.

Painting is the most frequent surface treatment

Painting is a more intuitive and frequent surface treatment. In fact, aluminum retains its typical silver color or, after the anodizing process, offers no alternative to the range of bronzes. The painting satisfies the marketing needs, guaranteeing an infinite range of colors and usually occurs through the use of solvent-free powders, respecting the environment and recyclable together with aluminum.

Not only aesthetic: the importance of surface treatments for aluminum performance

Among the surface treatments of aluminum, the most important is anodizing becauseit not only leads to an aesthetic improvement, but also to a qualitative upgrade. It is in fact a chemical process through which the aluminum surface is wrapped in a protective layer that fights atmospheric agents and wear over time. Furthermore, anodizing increases the performance of thermal insulation. Essentially, aluminum, after receiving an electrochemical treatment, is covered by a thin layer of oxide which acts as a protective film.

Between this last type of aluminum surface treatments, useful for performances rather than aesthetics, aimed at coupling pieces with other cast parts, also include:

• the thread, necessary for housing the screws;
• turning, to give an ergonomic shape suitable for a joint with other pieces;
• boring and boring of holes, to ensure perfect cylindricity.

For more information on surface treatments of aluminum, contact italpres, a company specialized in aluminum die casting and equipped with an internal department dedicated to some finishing.