Finishing services provide anti-corrosion properties and help to ensure structural integrity for metal components in high-stress environments.
Components used in the aerospace and defense and other manufacturing industries often undergo extreme stress. Common exposures these components endure include:
- Extreme temperatures
- High speeds
- Exposure to salt and various environmental elements
If components in such conditions are not properly finished, corrosion and wear can render assets unusable and inefficient in fulfilling their intended purpose. There is no room for damage once components are in use.
From coating to etching and much in between, our finishing services encompass a wide range of necessary and useful protective measures to ensure components perform to the highest of their abilities. MISTRAS finishing services have approvals from various aerospace corporations and manufacturers as well as accreditation recognition.
MISTRAS Finishing Services
MISTRAS is certified by many prime manufacturers to provide our various finishing services according to rigid quality standards. Our finishing services include:
- Anodize Type I, II, III
- Chemfilm Type II
- Chemical Cleaning
- Chemical Conversion Coating
- Coating Application
- Dry Film Lubrication
- Macro Etching
- Nital Etching
- Painting
- Passivation
- Pre-Penetrant Etching
- Teflon™ Rubberized Coating
Chemical Cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaning, abrasive blasting, filtered pressure flushing, and derusting are cleaning methods utilized by MISTRAS for comprehensive chemical cleaning. Our cleaning services meet the high standards and expectations of the aerospace industry. Various agents and solutions are used to prepare components for industrial use.
Chemical Conversion Coating
Chemical Conversion Coating creates a stable, corrosion-resistant surface for metals with a thin protective film layer.
Conversion coating, often referred to as Chemfilm, is used for chemicals that go through chemical and electro-chemical processes. MISTRAS performs multiple kinds of conversion coating, including Anodize Types I, II, and III, and bluing. This coating can also be used for decorative purposes, not just protective function.
Another anti-corrosion measure is Teflon™ rubberized coating, applied to metals, plastics, and non-metallic materials. Surfaces are roughened prior to application, and a primer coat is required. Teflon is resistant to wear and keeps assets in safe and effective operating condition.
Etching
Chemical etching reveals component defects such as cracks, voids, porosity, and holes by cutting into metal surfaces. It is a rapid and precise quality assurance measure.
MISTRAS offers macro, nital, and pre-penetrant etching to reveal flaws in metal componentry. These types of etching are used to assess the condition of metal components.
Macro etching inspection is to identify potential grain structure (metallurgical) defects that would require further investigation, while nital etching involves a specific solution of nitric acid and alcohol to execute the process.
Pre-penetrant macroetch is used for removing potential smeared metal due to machining to open up potential flaws before a penetrant inspection
Painting
MISTRAS performs painting services in the lab for aerospace, automotive, and other components as part of our component finishing services. These services are performed to add a layer of corrosion- and wear-resistance to components that operate in high-temperature or other high-stress environments.
Preventing corrosion is essential to sustainable asset management, and painting is often used to ensure integrity. Proper painting is prefaced with surface cleaning. Our painters are trained to work with various substances, including gold and silver, to prevent corrosion and wear.
Dry Film Lubrication
Dry film lubrication reduces component friction. The method is not altered by extreme conditions or temperatures, making it an ideal solution for aerospace assets.
Component friction can be reduced using dry film lubrication in extreme environments. Differing from traditional fluids, this lubrication is not altered by high and low temperatures. Materials enduring extreme conditions can benefit from the unaffecting properties of dry film.
Passivation
As a finishing technique, passivation is the use of a light coat of a protective material, such as metal oxide, to create a shell against corrosion. Passivation is used to strengthen and preserve the appearance of metallics. The “passivation” coating process causes materials to be less affected by environmental factors such as water and air. For examples, passivation helps protect against salt in the air that can cause degradation on airplanes that fly over the ocean.
Passivation achieves metal longevity and corrosion resistance. While some may think stainless steels are already corrosion-resistant, the foreign particles on the surface can interfere with its passive oxide layer which naturally protects from corrosion. MISTRAS’ passivation readies alloys and components for sustainable aerospace operations.
