Colored Anodizing Finishes: Important Info
Some notes regarding colored anodizing finishes:
We do our best to ensure the consistency and quality of our products. During manufacturing, we take great care in making sure that there are no surface imperfections by using a tightly controlled in-house deburring process and holding high quality control standards.
When it comes to colored anodizing and forged parts, certain imperfections usually hidden by the black anodizing process are easily seen due to the lighter pigment of the dye. Because these issues are inherent to the process, our definition of what constitutes a blemished item has been adjusted. Typical issues may include but are not limited to, graphite transfers from forging dyes (black marks in the non-machined surface), the blending of machined and forged surfaces (visible blending that doesn't affect the smoothness of finish), shade variances, and areas of inconsistency in the dye uptake. For transparency, we wanted to go into greater detail on some aspects of the finish, so there are no surprises when purchasing our anodized parts and components.
Colored Anodizing Finishes: What You Should Know
We work to maintain consistent quality and appearance across all products. During manufacturing, strict processes are used to minimize surface imperfections and maintain high quality standards.
With colored anodizing—especially on forged parts—imperfections that are normally hidden by black finishes may become visible. Because of the lighter pigments used, variations and marks can show through more clearly.
Common characteristics may include graphite transfer marks, visible transitions between machined and forged surfaces, slight shade differences, and inconsistencies in how dye is absorbed. These are natural results of the anodizing process.
Color Matching
Anodizing is an electrochemical process influenced by many variables such as material type, dye concentration, temperature, and processing time.
Differences in aluminum alloys (for example, 6061 vs 7075) can also cause noticeable variation between parts. Even with tight process control, perfect color matching is not always possible.
While colors will generally be close, some variation between components should be expected.
Uniformity
Colored anodizing does not always produce perfectly uniform finishes. Because the coating can be somewhat transparent, underlying material characteristics may remain visible.
You may notice lines, shading, waves, or areas where dye appears uneven. In addition, points where parts are held during processing may not receive coating in the same way.
These characteristics are inherent to the process. Only extreme or excessive irregularities are typically considered defects.
Lighting
The appearance of anodized color can change depending on lighting conditions and viewing angle.
Colors may look different under LED, fluorescent, incandescent, or natural sunlight. Controlled studio lighting often differs significantly from real-world environments.
Because of this, the color you see in person may not exactly match how it appears in photos.