Learn more about chemical pickling

Pickling is used where a strong cleaning of the surface is desired, as well as where a matt expression is desired, as this cleaning reacts differently on a surface and therefore breaks a glossy surface.  

Chemical pickling is an effective pre-treatment method, where during the process the surface is etched and small irregularities on the aluminum are minimized. Once the etching has removed the oxide layer, it will continue into the raw aluminum and produce a matte and uniform surface structure. Larger scratches and marks will still appear without any noticeable change after the treatment. A guideline is that pickling can remove scratches that cannot be felt with a fingernail.  

If a matte look is desired, the staining time can be adjusted as needed. 

The pickling process takes place in one of our many alkaline baths, where you enter via a chemical mixture and etch/remove the natural oxide layer. Pickling therefore also allows aluminum to be anodized.   
As mordant is strongly alkaline and corrodes the surface, this means that a part is reduced in size in practice. This can be used to compensate for the thickness of the oxide layer. In this way, we can deliver items that are largely unchanged in their dimensions.  

As stain does not repair noticeable scratches, it is therefore important that the product is delivered in a similar or higher standard of surface than that desired as the final product. 

By safe, effective and gentle pickling of the aluminum product in our alkaline baths, the natural oxide layer is removed before the subsequent anodization.