A new anodising standard for the new millennium.

The durability of anodising aluminium in exterior applications depends not only on the coating thickness and sealing quality, but also on the frequency with which atmospheric deposits are removed by washing.

It is particularly important to remove atmospheric deposits regularly from surfaces that are not exposed to rain. The Australian Standards Association has updated the anodising standard AS1231-2000 and classified atmospheric environments for Australia and New Zealand. Their recommendations are as follows:

 

Anodising Specifications for External Applications.

Exterior Description	Atmospheric Classification	Thickness Grade	Cleaning Intervals	Sample Locations
Mild	3	15 Micron	12 Months	Outback Australia Rural Communities (Not Coastal)
Moderate	3	15 Micron 20 Micron 25 Micron	9 Months	AdelaideBrisbane Hobart Melbourne Perth Sydney New Zealand (Excl. Coastal Locations )
Tropical	4	25 Micron	9 Months	North Queensland (Coastal) Northern Territory (Coastal) North West Western Australia (Coastal)
Severe	5	25 Micron	6 Months	New South Wales Coast Queensland Coast South East Coast of South Australia South West Coast of Western Australia Heavy Industrial Areas

Remember that when you are purchasing or specifying a product for anodising, by asking for a coating thickness according to the standard, you will ensure that your product will stand the test of time. Note: Visit the anodising web site www.anodising.org for further information.