Corrosion doesn’t send a warning. A part clears inspection, gets shipped, goes into service, and six months later someone’s trying to figure out why it’s failing. By then the finishing decision that caused it was made a long time ago by someone who’s long since moved on to other problems. Read more
If you’re an OEM, you know the drill. You design a perfect component, it looks great on the CAD screen, but three months into field testing, it’s galling, seizing, or just wearing down into expensive dust. Usually, the culprit is simple: friction. Most people try to solve this with grease. Read more
In aerospace manufacturing, metal finishing is rarely the first thing discussed. It usually comes up later, often after a problem is identified. Corrosion. Binding during assembly. Parts that pass inspection but don’t perform as expected. When that happens, surface treatment gets a closer look. Aerospace metal finishing isn’t just about Read more
Corrosion has this annoying habit of showing up when you’re not really paying attention. You think a part looks fine, and then a few months later you notice a bit of roughness or a tiny pit that definitely wasn’t there before. You’ve seen that happen on components that were supposed Read more
Why Magnesium is a Game-Changer for Lightweight Applications As technology evolves, industries like defense and medical manufacturing demand lighter, stronger materials. Magnesium fits the bill, offering exceptional strength-to-weight advantages. But plating magnesium? That’s where precision and expertise matter most. The Challenge of Plating Magnesium—And How AST Solves It Magnesium’s reactive Read more
Scaling Up: How AST’s Tank Sizes Enable Industrial-Scale Production When it comes to production plating, tank capacity is more than a convenience, it’s a competitive advantage. With tanks ranging from 50 to 1,000 gallons, AST can handle large parts, prototype plating, or bulk processing with outstanding efficiency. Magnesium Line Tank Read more
A Coating That Goes Beyond Protection The defense and aerospace industries require components made with high precision to tight tolerances. Every component must perform flawlessly, often under extreme conditions. That’s why electroless nickel plating is frequently the coating of choice for mission-critical parts. Often referred to as an “engineering coating,” Read more
When selecting a metal coating for your application, cost is always an important factor. While it might be tempting to choose the least expensive option, it’s critical to understand the trade-offs in durability, performance, and long-term value. Here, we explore how the cost of different coating types compares, particularly focusing Read more
Precision and Dimensional Control Electroless nickel is often referred to as an engineering coating due to its exceptional precision. It allows for tight control over thickness, making it suitable for high-tolerance applications. Typical coating thicknesses range from 0.001” to 0.002”, with tolerances as close as ±0.0001”. This precision makes electroless Read more