Metal surfaces in industrial environments usually need to be coloured so that they lose the shine. In the past, there have been many instances where workers have gotten injured because of the sharp light that was reflected off of the shiny surface. Since most metals have a shiny and silvery appearance, it reflects light very sharply, thus creating a blinding effect. However, simply painting the machines and other metal surfaces with a black paint isn’t going to cut it; you need to make sure that the paint is applied in a way that doesn’t alter the dimensions of the surface.
Conventional black paint adds a layer on top of the metal surface (npl.co.uk), thus altering its dimensions. As a result, this is not a viable process for blackening the metal surfaces. Instead, a better option would be to opt for a specialist finish that is most commonly offered by companies such as Blackfast. Some companies perform the metal blackening procedure at higher temperatures while others prefer to do this at room temperature. It primarily depends upon the type of material that’s used for blackening the metal as well as the average temperature needed for making sure that the black layer sticks firmly to the surface.
How Is it Done?
The conventional process of metal blacking basically aims to change the chemical composition of particular metal surfaces. It ultimately leads to the creation of a solid barrier on the surface of the metal, thus leading to numerous benefits. Compared to other blackening processes such as metal plating or painting, the chemical process of metal blacking is a much better choice. It’s important to note that this is a chemical process, which means that it relies on particular chemicals that adhere to the surface of the metal for treatment.
The reason why chemical finishing processes are much more preferred is because they can cover the entirety of the surface area of the metal, thus transforming the whole surface. On the other hand, paint and plating is unable to reach through all the nooks and crannies of the metal surface. There’s also a DIY kit available that’s easy and completely safe to use. It’s designed to help you transform the metal surfaces in your factories or for covering metal products to get a better finish. The process basically involves the application of a degreaser and immersion within a surface conditioner and, finally, immersion in the blacking solution. It’s ideal for blacking zinc, iron, steel, and aluminium. There are some companies that also offer a free sampling service and a demonstration so that you can see for yourself how the metal blackening process works and whether it’s a suitable choice for your company or not.
Benefits
The metal blacking process offers a litany of different benefits, thus justifying the amount that you will spend on getting the metal surfaces blackened out. One of the biggest advantages that the chemical blackening process offers is that it doesn’t lead to any dimensional change of the metal surface. Since many products and equipment components are machined to perfection, even a slight alteration within the dimensions would render them incompatible. Therefore, the chemical blackening process ensures that the tight tolerance of the machined surfaces remains the same.
Another benefit of the process is that because it adds a chemical layer on top of the metal surface, it simply increases the corrosion resistance of the metal surface. It is capable of absorbing wax, oil and numerous other sealants that are likely to cause corrosion and rust on the surface. In many companies where metal parts are used for the manufacture of different products, getting them blackened out could greatly improve the sales appeal of the product. Last but the least, the sharp reduction in the light glare makes the working conditions within a factory or any other closed environment significantly safer, making it a sound investment decision on the part of the factory owner.
