Anodic Coating Designations
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ALUMINUM ASSOCIATION ANODIC COATING DESIGNATIONS
To help with anodizing specifications, the chemical finishes and comparative anodic coatings chart below features guidelines that match processing and required anodic film thickness with customer needs.
Mechanical Finishes
Mechanical finishes are less common than they once were because are labor intensive and difficult to apply. Most aluminum specifications come with a generic “M10” which means “Unspecified, As Fabricated.” However, some applications call for specular buffing (M22) or directional sanding (M32). Contact SAF for more information about brushed, buffed and polished finishes, and other Anodizing Specification information.
Chemical Finishes
| Type of Finish | Alcoa Designation | Alum. Assn. Designations | Description | Examples of methods of finishes (Not Definitive Techniques) |
| Non Etched Cleaned | C-10 C-11 C-12 C-1X | Unspecified Degreased Inhibited Chemical Cleaned Other | Organic solvent treated Inhibited chemical type Cleaner used To be specified | |
| Etched | R1 R2 R3 | C-20 C-21C-22 C-23 C2X | Unspecified Fine Matte Medium Matte Course Matte Other | Trisodium phosphate, 3-6 oz / gal. used at 140-160 deg F for 5 min. Sodium hydroxide, 4-6 of. / gal. used at 140-160 deg F for 5 min. Sodium Fluoride. 1 1/2 oz. plus sodium hydroxide, 4-6 oz. / gal. used at 140-160 deg F for 5 min. To be specified |
| Brightened | R5-Bright Dip* EB10, EB30 Bright Dip | C-30 C-31 C-32 C3X | Unspecified Highly Specular Diffuse bright Other | Chemical bright dip solution of the proprietary phosphoric nitric acid type used or proprietary electro-brightening Etched finish C22 followed by brightened finish C31 To be specified |
*Trade Name of Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa)
Comparative Anodic Coating Designation
| FilmThickness | AlcoaDesignation | AluminumAssociation Designations | Descriptions | Type ofFinish | FilmThickness |
| 0.0001″ | Alumilite 200 .00015 minimum film thickness | A21 | Clear(natural) Coating | Protective and decorative(coatings less than 0.4 mils thick) Thickness to be specified by customer) | 2.56 uM |
| 0.0001″ | n/a | A22 | Coating with intergal color (discontinued by SAF) | “ | 2.56 uM |
| 0.0001″ | n/a | A23 | Coating with impregnated color. | “ | 2.56 uM |
| 0.0001″ | n/a | A24 | Coating with electrolytically deposited color. | “ | 2.56 uM |
| 0.0002″ | Alumilite 201 .0002 minimum film thickness | A212 | Clear(natural) coating | “ | 5.13 uM |
| 0.0003″ | Alumilite 202 .0003 minimum film thickness | A213 | “ | “ | 7.69 uM |
| 0.00036″ | Alumilite 203 .00036 minimum film thickness | A213 | “ | “ | 9.23 uM |
| 0.0004″ | Alumilite 204 .0004 minimum film thickness | A31 | Clear (natural) coating | Architectural Class II 10 to 18 uM (.4 mil to 0.7 mil) coating thickness. | 10.26 uM |
| 0.0004″ | n/a | A32 | Coating withintegral color (discontinued by SAF) | “ | 10.26 uM |
| 0.0004″ | n/a | A33 | Coating withimpregnated color | “ | 10.26 uM |
| 0.0004″ | n/a | A34 | Coating with electrolytically deposited color. | “ | 10.26 uM |
| 0.0007″ | Alumilite 215.0007″ minimum film thickness | A41 | Clear(natural) coating | Architectural Class I18uM (0.7 mils) and greater anodic coating. | 18.0 uM |
| 0.0007″ | Duranodic (311, 312, 313, 335) (discontinued by SAF) | A42 | Shades of bronze & black | “ | 18.0 uM |
| 0.0007″ | Dyes | A43 | Nearly unlimitedcolor selection. | “ | 18.0 uM |
| 0.0007″ | 2-Step | A44 | Shades of bronze & black | “ | 18.0 uM |
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