1mil thick or less whats the results?

[rick201]

Hi,
Is it possible to anodise for longer than the 1 mil thick as per the 720 rule calculator as I always tend to just put in the formulae 1mil and its always 120mins
Also what are the other mil thicknesses used for ie why use less than 1 mill thick what are the advantages/disadvantages?
Best Regards to all
Rick.

[acidrain]

If you can get your tank temperatures down (and keep it down) to the low 60's, then you could build a thicker layer without de-solution. You may want to use a little higher CD so that the parts are not in the tank so long.
Long time in the tank = bad.
Higher tank temps = bad.
Poor or no agitation = bad.
Personally, I have not had any problems with ano thickness in the .75 to 1. mil range, and find no need to go thicker.

[sswee]

Rick,
Like acidrain said, when anodizing to dye, there is not much reason to go any thicker.
On you 720 rule calculator the coating thickness is only 1/2 of what determines run time. The other 1/2 is CD (current density). Make some changes to the CD and check the run times.
It has been said, and according to Fibergeek proved, that dye will not permeate the coating any deeper than .7 mil. Most have found to get a better color in reds and black, that they have to go to a 1 mil thickness. This may not be due so much to the coating thickness as it is to pore size of the coating. On gold, it is suppose to have a more realistic gold color at around a .3 mil coating. The coating thickness are varied for different colors and part usage.
I have run several parts to what calculated to a 2 to 2.5 mil coating but I run my tank at the bottom of the temp. range. The thicker coatings do no good if the pore size is too large. It wouldn't be very durable.
SS