Calculating abodized finish, density, sealant of color?

[schema]

Hey guys!!!

Sorry if this question has been answered all ready and I'm just poop at searching, but I wondering how you would go about testing the quality, thickness, etc, of an anodized piece? I'd like to try and test the piece for how well the color took and the thickness of the anodized layer. Someone said to spray the part with brake cleaner or gas and if it comes off then it's a bad piece, are there more conventional ways or is this a good method?

I also came across a device used to calculate the thickness but runs about $300 ish , can you guys at Caswell test a piece if I send it to you, or are there other ways for this as well?

Thanks a lot guys!!

[sswee]

Accurately checking an anodize coating is normally a destructive process that is down in a lab. You can check coating thickness with micrometers but you have to have accurate measurements from before coating and measure in the exact same places. This will not give any indication as to pore size or density. You can use a current eddy meter to measure coating thickness but these meters are usually cost prohibitive.
Hope this helps.
SS

[schema]

that does help. I was looking in to the eddy meters but as you said, they are expensive. I think I'm on the right track, as I've dipped some test pieces in to gasoline, brake cleaner, and lacquer thinner, and in the end, I found out that it cleans the piece pretty well! no color runs (yay!)

I tried a simple abrasive test on it as well, just simply took two pieces, one anodized and one not from the same stock, and tried to scratch one another. the anodized piece remained flawless.

If anyone has any other suggestions on testing for quality, I'm all ears!!!