Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

MICROLOK® AO from Birchwood Casey

By Design World Staff | July 21, 2011

When manufacturers asked for an environmentally friendly process to replace cold blackening on iron and steel components, Birchwood Casey answered with the MICROLOK® AO process.

The patented MICROLOK® AO coating is 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 compared with room temperature blackening, the MICROLOK AO coating exhibits better corrosion resistance and operates at half the cost, without undesirable pollution hazards.

MICROLOK® AO

Applications include: tooling and machine components; automotive parts including tie-rods, 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, non-dimensional silver-black finish, corrosion protection and anti-galling properties.

The MICROLOK AO process is safe and easy to operate and avoids the use of EPA regulated chemicals (cold blackening uses toxic copper & selenium – both tightly regulated). The MICROLOK AO process rinse waters are generally sewerable as non-hazardous discharge and require no waste treatment at all. Applying the finish requires only five steps and 18 minutes:

1. CLEAN the metal surface: SAFE SCRUB: 120-140°F: 8 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 TOUCHÒ 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; and simple bath maintenance requiring only pH monitoring.

Finishers with existing lines note: Most cold blackening lines can be easily converted to the MICROLOK AO process. There are no technical or costly conversion challenges when switching over from an existing cold process to the new MICROLOK AO process. Also, new tank lines for MICROLOK AO are available in any size from Birchwood Casey at modest cost, ranging from small-scale manually operated lines to large volume CNC operated systems.

Birchwood Casey
www.birchwoodcasey.com

::Design World::

You Might Also Like


Filed Under: AUTOMATION, Materials • advanced

 

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Sustainability, Innovation and Safety, Central to Our Approach
  • Why off-highway is the sweet spot for AC electrification technology
  • Looking to 2025: Past Success Guides Future Achievements
  • North American Companies Seek Stronger Ties with Italian OEMs
  • Adapt and Evolve
  • Sustainable Practices for a Sustainable World
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.OkNoRead more