Finishing Stainless Steel

I am currently involved in a construction project with a stainless steel art piece. The designer proposing this wants to used anodized stainless steel. Is anyone out in NBR land able to provide me with a decent explanation of what this is. I know about anodizing aluminum and how that works but this seems to be a different process whereby a chrome oxide layer is created and then dyed it would seem that it a little untested and might not stand up to being outside all the time.

Cheers.

Ask the "designer" if he's done this before.
There's a chance he may not know what he's asking for.

Ask the "designer" if he's done this before.
There's a chance he may not know what he's asking for.

The answer to that question is self evident - no need to ask

They don't call him sketchy pencil for nothing.
It's always funny when something is specified that seems wrong and when you ask them if they've done it before the answer is no.
And they think your being difficult.

We used to do different processes to various stainless steel for other reasons than colour (e.g. corrosion resistance, hardness, etc.)

If you want colour, here is the answer:
http://www.pfonline.com/blog/post/plating-qa-can-you-color-stainless-steel

http://www.pfonline.com/blog/post/pl...tainless-steel
^^^^^^^

This is basically a transparent oxidation layer and the colour is determined by the optical properties and thickness of the layer, kind of like how you see colours in soap bubbles (basically a film of water), or on coated optics. So it is not true electochemical deposition. In contrast, the colour of anodized aluminum comes from a dye. Apparently the chromic oxide on steel isn't as durable as an anodized aluminum coating as the article states, and as you suspected too.

The chemical vapour deposition mentioned in the comments is probably (I'm guessing) very expensive (it most likely has to be done in vacuum chamber at high temperatures over 500 degrees Celcius) and most suited for small objects. CVD is used a lot in the fabrication of integrated circuits (like computer chips). Physical Vapour Deposition is a related process that can be done at lower temperatures, but still requires hightly specialized vapourization and contaiment facilites for gas-phase deposition. Apparently those metallic-appearing snack bags and baloons are made with PVD. (According to Wikipedia), so the process is probably more user-friendly.

Would cadmium plating work on ss? Back when I was a reader of Hot Rod Magazine i would see coloured cad plated car components but that was not ss. Cadmium plating is a nasty process though.

This is a good forum for questions related to finishes. This thread is a bit outdated, but may give you some info you are looking for. http://www.finishing.com/245/20.shtml

When someone inevitably scratches it and you can't find a guy to repair the finish let me know. This dude figured out how to erase big scratches on brushed stainless elevator doors, not an easy task.

Cheers that is awesome information.:clap::clap::clap:

NBR wins again!

Dantes I will give you a shout next time an idiot screws things up!

http://www.pfonline.com/blog/post/pl...tainless-steel
^^^^^^^

This is basically a transparent oxidation layer and the colour is determined by the optical properties and thickness of the layer, kind of like how you see colours in soap bubbles (basically a film of water), or on coated optics. So it is not true electochemical deposition. In contrast, the colour of anodized aluminum comes from a dye. Apparently the chromic oxide on steel isn't as durable as an anodized aluminum coating as the article states, and as you suspected too.

The chemical vapour deposition mentioned in the comments is probably (I'm guessing) very expensive (it most likely has to be done in vacuum chamber at high temperatures over 500 degrees Celcius) and most suited for small objects. CVD is used a lot in the fabrication of integrated circuits (like computer chips). Physical Vapour Deposition is a related process that can be done at lower temperatures, but still requires hightly specialized vapourization and contaiment facilites for gas-phase deposition. Apparently those metallic-appearing snack bags and baloons are made with PVD. (According to Wikipedia), so the process is probably more user-friendly.

I look forward to explaining this in simple words!