Anodizing - part 5

The sweet taste of success

"Awesomeeee!!!"

This might be the first time that I start a post with a photo. Pardon the excitement.

What has changed since last time’s failure, you might ask... not very much, as my data below shows.

Keeping track of the variables is vital. The "set" and "got" temps are due to the lengthened thermocouple leads.

The blame for the “orange disaster” rests squarely on my shoulders, for not taking the time to clean up the part as I should have.

This time I consulted with a chemical engineer (my daughter again), who knows a thing or two about adhesion between layers of gold 2 microns thick, photoresist, and silicon wafers (she’s into nanotechnology). 

Beside the need for a humidity controlled cleanroom (does my heater/AC count?), and the absolute necessity for dry nitrogen (damn, I just ran out of it!), her main message was to clean the part like I was about to have open heart surgery, and dry it well before the dye bath.

So, I did.

First, I washed the bracket with soap and water (twice) in the sink…

Cleaning all machining oil residues off of the part

… then I air dried it with compressed air (not so dry, I know), and cleaned it with Acetone…

This should remove anything still clinging on to the bracket

… I air dried it again, scrubbed it once more with Isopropyl alcohol, then air dried it again…

I used alcohol to clean any trace of acetone

… and yes, the toothbrush got air dried also, in between each treatment.

I then went through the same protocol as last time, and I didn’t notice any differences. The part came out of the dye bath looking like a million dollars, just like the failed one did before.

When the parts first come out of the dye bucket they are just incredible

I rinsed it again with distilled water, then dunked it in the boiling sealer, as usual.

Thirty minutes later, out she came. I rinsed it again in distilled water, dried it with compressed air, and… I was afraid to touch it, for fear the color would rub off… but it didn’t!

Success at last!

Not as shiny as when it was wet, but still wicked looking.

I am very happy with these results

The new bracket next to the failed one

I should also add that I probably changed 1/2 a dozen sets of nitrile gloves, trying not to contaminate the bracket again.

Was it all worth the trouble, and the cost?

“OH MAN IT WAS!!!”