THE SANFORD PROCESS™

The Sanford Process™ is the leading technology in the global hard anodizing market. What is hard anodizing? Developed more than forty years ago, hard anodizing is an electrochemical process that involves placing an aluminum part into an electrolytic bath and applying electrical current through the bath. This process forms an oxide coating (sapphire-hard) on the aluminum part. This oxide coating can be harder than casehardened steel and provide excellent abrasion resistance; it is protective to the aluminum part and can be very durable.

However, a number of factors can affect the quality, durability and density of the coating. This electrochemical process generally creates polarization of the cathode and anode in the electro-chemical process. This normally generates large amounts of oxygen at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode. This polarization fills the pores of the oxide coating and builds resistance to the electrical current. As a result, progressively more voltage has to be applied in order to maintain adequate current densities. These high voltages generate dangerously high temperatures and the potential for catastrophic dissolution of parts being hard anodized.

But the Sanford Process™ solves this electrochemical problem with its unique additive "Sanfran" and its unique applications of power to the aluminum parts, permitting the Sanford Process™ to be the "Finest Hard Anodize Process in the World."

SANFORD PROCESS™ CORPORATION
65 North Avenue, Natick, Mass. 01760
Tel: (508) 653-7860 Fax: (508) 653-7832
Owners of Patents of the World's Finest Hard Anodized Process