Add some sizzle to your car interior, the local bus or perhaps a Boeing interior with coil anodized aluminum. Metal is hot in the automotive and transportation industry. In addition, with gas prices climbing, at one third the weight of other metals anodized aluminum offers a cost savings opportunity.
Why Not Anodized? Dashboard and Control Panel Components
Emblems
Head Light and Brake Light Reflectors
High Pressure Laminate Panel Applications
Interior Decorative and Functional Trim Components
Interior Dome Light Reflectors
Mass Transit Rest Room Partitions
Mass Transit Window Spacer Bar
VIN Tags
Automotive & Transportation Solutions

Product

UV Stable

Decorative Product Solutions

AlumaPlus® LL

N

AlumaPlus® MF

N

AlumaPlus® Polished

N

AlumaPlus® SL

N

Antique Copper

Y

ClearBrite Brushed

Y

ClearMatt®

Y

ClearMatt® Brushed

Y

ColorIn® BlackMatt

Y

ColorIn® Dark Bronze

Y

ColorIn® Extra Light Bronze

Y

ColorIn® LA Extra Dark Bronze

Y

ColorIn® Light Bronze

Y

ColorIn® Medium Bronze

Y

CopperMatt® Brushed

N

GoldBrite® Brushed

Y

GoldMatt® Brushed

Y

GoldMatt® Dark

Y

GoldMatt® Medium

Y

PreMirror® 11

Y

PreMirror® 41

Y

Functional Product Solutions

AnoGrip®

Y

Product Enhancements Adhere
Most automotive and transportation grade products are available with Adhere on the backside. Additional charges and minimum order quantities apply to all products with Adhere. Contact marketing at 1-800-654-1159 x 682 or 1-231-727-6682 for additional information.

Color Stability
Not all products in our portfolio are UV stable and will fade with direct exposure to sunlight over time. These products are identified in the chart above and on their respective SpecData sheets available online. If additional coatings will be applied to your finished product, consider utilizing an UV stable coating to maintain the anodized color.

Exterior Transportation Applications
In general, anodized aluminum is not recommended for exterior usage in automotive and transportation applications unless the finished component is well protected from the elements and environment. Anodized aluminum will not withstand the high pH of detergents used in standard car washes or car cleaning soaps and will discolor with continued exposure regardless of the anodic film specified.

High Pressure Laminate Applications
Lorin products have successfully performed within High Pressure Laminate (HPL) process under the following conditions:

  • 320 Degree Fahrenheit heat
  • High Pressure / High Heat – 1 hour
  • Bonded with a phenolic resin soaked core sheet.

    If you are using a process outside of the HPL process outlined above, we encourage you to purchase a small quantity of anodized aluminum to confirm product performance within your own process prior to ordering full production quantities.

    Material Inspection
    Material is reviewed for visual consistency from edge to edge at a distance of 5 feet or 1.5 meters looking straight at the material hanging from a vertical surface.

    Surface Protection
    Lorin recommends that surface protection be applied to all specular / high reflective finish products as well as any anodized product with a thin anodic film to reduce surface scratching during the production process.

    Visual Standards & Limitations
    Due to natural variations which are inherent to the raw aluminum surface in certain alloys, anodized aluminum products may display a range of color shades which do not indicate a product defect. Please confirm with your Inside Sales / Sales Manager if your order is for standard inventory stock or a specific product that requires consistency throughout. Aluminum finishes are directional by nature and may show a color shift or shift in visual appearance when viewed at different angles. Please communicate running direction at time of assembly or finished product production.

    • Fabrication Characteristics Bending (Brake Press)
  • Handling pre-anodized stock has been found to be similar
        to handing other metals.
  • Half hard tempers are most often used because of their
        formability and structural integrity.
  • Where possible, use scrap material to adjust the depth of
        stroke required to accomplish the desired bend.
  • Gradual bending of the material will help to minimize
        crazing of the anodic film.
  • Strippable surface protection will protect the anodized
        surface during the bending process.

    Laminating

  • Polyfilm surface protection is helpful and can be left on
        throughout the production process.
  • Clean the substrate with a clean brush prior to
        laminating.
  • Cut the sheet to size using sharp shears or a saw.
  • Consider experimenting with saw and feed speed on
        scrap material prior to full production runs.
  • Cut into the sheet so that the rough edges are on the
        back-side.
  • Spray-guide contact adhesives work best. Apply them on
        the anodized aluminum first, then on the core material.

    Rollforming

  • In many cases, no tooling changes are required when
        transitioning from other metals to anodized aluminum.
  • Pre-anodized aluminum will take all minimum bend-radii
        as specified by the Aluminum Association.
  • As with other metals, tooling should be kept polished.
  • Chrome-plated rolls typically perform the best.
  • Using surface protection will sometimes eliminate the
        need for lubricants.

    Stamping & Blanking

  • No major modifications in tool design are necessary.
  • Consider reducing male-female die clearance to 2%-8%.
  • Keep dies sharp.
  • A looping pit ahead of the press allows for smooth coil
        feeding.
  • Synthetic grippers on feed work best.
  • Lubricants may be eliminated, depending on the process.
  • Use link-less gloves when handling pre-anodized stock.
  • Anodized blanks are protected and stackable.
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