Now manufacturers can finish iron and steel components with a low temperature, environmentally friendly process that serves as a low-cost replacement for polluting cold blackening.
Nothing like it -- the MICROLOK® AO Process from Birchwood Casey forms a non-toxic,
aluminum oxide conversion coating that is 0.000060 inches (1.5 microns) thick, silver/black in
color, and tightly adherent to the metal surface.
When sealed with a rust preventive, the finish
provides robust corrosion protection that is better than cold blackening at half the cost, without
undesirable pollution hazards.
A RELEASE FOR:
Birchwood Casey
7900 Fuller Road
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
952-937-7931 Fax: 952-937-7979
Website: www.birchwoodcasey.com
Email: info@birchwoodcasey.com
A RELEASE FROM: AMA:BIR5556r2
Anderson-Madison Advertising, Inc.
7710 Computer Avenue South
Edina, Minnesota 55435
952-835-5133 Fax: 952-835-4977
Email: jm@andersonmadison.com
CONTACT: Gerald F. Madison
2
Ideal for users of cold blackeners who want a replacement that is safe to apply and
avoids the use of EPA regulated (copper & selenium) chemicals. The patented MICROLOK AO
solution contains no regulated chemicals - process rinse waters are generally sewerable as nonhazardous
discharge. Applying the finish requires only five steps and 15 minutes:
1. CLEAN the metal surface: SAFE SCRUB; 120-140°F: 5 minutes.
2. RINSE in clean water.
3. APPLY MICROLOK AO finish: 120-140°F: 8 minutes.
4. RINSE in clean water.
5. SEAL in DRI TOUCH® AMBER Rust Preventive: 1 minute.
Additional benefits include: anti-galling protection to aid in assembly and startup;
temperature stability up to 1400°F; safe 120-140° F operation with no boiling or splattering; no
scale or sludge buildup in tanks, bath maintenance is much simpler requiring only pH
monitoring.
Applications include: tooling and machine components; automotive parts including tierods,
ball joints, clutch and brake components; and large components such as oilfield drilling
equipment. MICROLOCK AO is an ideal choice for any component with its attractive, nondimensional
silver-black finish, corrosion protection and anti-galling properties.
Most cold blackening lines can be easily converted to the MICROLOK AO process, or
new tank lines, of any size, are available from Birchwood Casey at modest cost, ranging from
small-scale manually operated lines to large volume CNC operated systems.