Black oxide, or metal blacking, is a chemical process to alter the appearance of ferrous metals, and it is mainly used to add corrosion resistance or change the appearance of the item. The process has many advantages, one being that it does not alter the dimensions at all, which makes it ideal for precision engineered pieces, and it also reduces light reflection and gives the metal a unique appearance.

Room Temperature Blacking

This process is the most cost-effective way to blacken metal, and it works with a simple dip technique, and the safe and easy to use kits contain everything you need to carry out the process. There are companies with easy to navigate websites that supply blackening solutions for a range of metals, and cold blackening steel really is corrosion free and will not lose its colour.

Machined Surfaces

When manufacturing any precision piece of equipment, the final finish is critical. First, you must have a coating or process that covers the entire surface, and secondly, you cannot afford for this to add to the dimensions of the component. The metal blackening process is ideal in this case, and rather than a coating, it is a chemical conversion of the metal’s surface. Thread holes and screws can be treated, giving no additional dimension, while providing the ideal protection.

Cost Effective

Electroplating is an expensive process, and while it gives you good results, a room temperature black oxide is a far cheaper alternative, and it, too, offers you everything that plating does, but at a fraction of the cost.

Range of Metals

There are kits for the following metals:

• Steel
• Iron
• Zinc
• Aluminium

The supplier would also have a support team who could advise and even demonstrate the process at your factory, and with their many years of hands-on experience in the industry, there isn’t anything they haven’t encountered before.

Vast Range of Applications

Cold metal blackening is used for many applications, especially machined parts, chains and sprockets, and other components that require corrosion protection. Automotive parts and gearing are also ideal for this process, and almost any machine with metal moving parts can benefit from this chemical process. Precision engineering requires specific dimensions, and the blackening process adds no recognisable size to the part, which is essential for many components, and the fact that the process protects the entire surface, it is ideal for machine parts and other engineered components.

Professional Assistance

If you are unsure how the blackening process could work for you, there are online companies that specialise in supplying kits for factory applications, and with their years of experience, they can advise you on the best way to achieve the desired result. There are additional processes that can enhance a metal surface, which is ideal for show pieces and even antiques.

Room temperature metal blackening solutions enable a manufacturer to protect precision made parts, and with modern suppliers only too happy to advise, this is a cost effective way to achieve the right finish on a range of metals.