Anodising, like that from Poeton, is a method used to harden the surface of metal by passing an electrical current through it and thereby reducing the amount of friction that exists between the two metallic surfaces. This results in them being able to be formed into smooth and relatively hard materials. Anodising comes in two forms, direct and indirect anodising. Direct anodising occurs when a current that is passing through an area splits a molecule in the process. Indirect anodising is when the current actually attracts one another molecule that is present within the area being divided by the current.
There are many reasons why anodising is used in the manufacturing industry, the first of which relates to the thinness of the part that needs to be made into a component. If a part is too thick then it will be harder to form into a component, as previously discussed, with the use of a component forming machine. By using this process, components will have a thinner anodised layer which will allow for the easier and more efficient formation into a component. If the part that is being anodised is particularly thick then it will be difficult to apply the current to the surface because it may become too hot. This heat resistance can prevent the part from being made into a part that is possible with other methods.
Another reason why anodising is commonly used in the manufacturing industry relates to the corrosion protection that can be found. When a part is being created, there are two possible locations that a component can come into contact with. These are the external corrosion area, which can be caused by water, heat, or even oil, and the internal corrosion area, which can be caused by moisture and metal particles. With anodizing the aluminum oxide layer that is present will not be corroded away from the external corrosion area. This makes it useful for resisting corrosion from these locations.