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In aerospace engineering, precision and durability are essential, not optional. Everything needs to operate at maximum efficiency while also weighing the absolute minimum, which is a difficult ratio to balance.
Luckily, the electrochemical process of anodising is able to satisfy both needs, helping protect lightweight metals without inflating their weight on the scale.
Lightweight layers
Anodising is a process whereby the natural oxide layers that rest on aluminium parts are enhanced to make them far stronger and more resistant to corrosion and wear. Nowhere is this more essential than in the aerospace industry, where materials are exposed to moisture, fuel, and fluctuating, extreme temperatures all the time.
And as much as we like to emphasise the importance of durability, we’d be lying if aesthetics didn’t play into things as well. Anodising can elevate the look of a material without affecting its weight much at all. It’s also essential for colour-coding practices.
The best bonding process
Anodised surfaces benefit from the added durability, but are also incredible when it comes to adhesive bonding. Anodising can maximise the structural integrity of a component’s parts, without sacrificing its aerodynamism.
Another consideration that anodising can cover is thermal dissipation, where heat is more easily managed. This is often overlooked, but can hugely benefit the electronics within aircraft.
Depending on specifics, you can often contact anodising professionals in order to tailor the bonding process to your needs. Check out anodising providers, such as www.poeton.co.uk/surface-treatments/anodising/, online.
Overlooked benefits
With all the focus on durability, we typically think of how strong the metals are overall, rather than how sustainable they are. If you stay on top of anodising, it can massively reduce the number of wasted or discarded parts.
By extending the life cycle of your components, such as aluminium, you don’t need to manufacture additional parts once the surfaces wear down – you can get them touched up.
This is especially important for the aerospace industry, where climate-conscious concerns are constantly rising given the industry’s carbon footprint. Anodising is a solution that can help reduce the size of this footprint without sacrificing efficiency.
