How to Use Paint to Repair an Anodized Actuator Body From Damage

When actuator bodies are anodized, they are submerged in electrolyte baths through which voltage current is passed. The actuator body subsequently obtains a metal oxide coating that strengthens its surface, making it more corrosion- and abrasion-resistant and facilitating improved paint adhesion. To repair an anodized actuator body, first determine whether the damage is limited to the metal oxide coating or the base metal itself is damaged. If the former is the case, you can use paint in the same color as the anodized coating to repair the aesthetics of the surface. In the latter case, you will have to de-anodize the surface, repair the base metal, then paint over the repaired surface.

Things You'll Need

  • Distilled water, in a squirt bottle
  • Sodium hydroxide
  • Laboratory cleaning tissues
  • Paint with metallic finish
  • Paintbrush
  • Sandpaper
  • Masking tape
  • Nonreactive plastic sheets
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Instructions

  1. Damaged Surface Coating

    • 1

      Mask off the parts surrounding the damaged areas, to protect them from de-anodizing treatments, by covering them with nonreactive plastic. Tape the plastic securely at the edges to prevent sodium hydroxide from seeping through to undamaged parts of the body.

    • 2

      Pour a small amount of sodium hydroxide onto a piece of laboratory cleaning tissue. Use the tissue to remove the damaged metal oxide coating from the actuator surface, revealing the base metal. Laboratory cleaning tissue will not deposit fibers on the actuator surface, nor will it abrade the surface. Use the distilled water squirt bottle to deliver copious amounts of water to the actuator surface, rapidly flushing away the sodium hydroxide.

    • 3

      Paint over the base metal, using a metallic paint with a finish similar to the surrounding anodized surface finish.

    Damaged Base Metal

    • 4

      Remove surface metal oxide coating with laboratory cleaning tissue saturated with sodium hydroxide, as described above. Use distilled water in a squirt bottle to flush the sodium hydroxide from the actuator surface.

    • 5

      Sand the base metal with sandpaper until its surface is relatively smooth and even to the touch.

    • 6

      Paint over the repaired base metal, using metallic paint with a finish similar to the surface finish of the rest of the actuator body.

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