Ano
Service
Black anodizing, Type II and Type III.
The most-specified finish in the shop: black dyed anodize on machined aluminum, run as Type II for appearance and protection or Type III when wear leads the print.
Plain answer first
What black anodizing actually is.
Black anodizing is a dyed anodic coating: the aluminum surface is converted to hard oxide, black dye locks into the coating's pores, and a seal closes the surface over it. Because the color is inside the coating rather than painted on top, it cannot chip, and the part keeps its machined dimension and feel. It is the finish engineers reach for when a part has to look right and stay right.
TYPE III BLACK · CUSTOMER PARTIn the shop
Black work, both types, every week.
Black runs constantly here, on everything from one-off fixtures to production runs of cones and housings. The photo is a customer's hard coat plate; the bench below it holds a black Type II run.
The decision
Type II black or Type III black.
| DRIVER | TYPE II BLACK | TYPE III BLACK |
|---|---|---|
| The job | Appearance, corrosion protection | Wear resistance plus black |
| Coating build | Standard | Thicker and denser |
| Surface feel | Smooth satin black | Harder, slightly matte |
| Typical parts | Housings, panels, brackets | Slides, tooling, actuators |
Both run under MIL-A-8625 as Class 2 coatings; the spec page covers the callout. Other colors are on the color anodizing page.
Questions
Black anodizing, asked and answered
Is black anodizing paint?
No. The black is dye locked inside the anodic coating itself, so it cannot chip or peel. The surface stays metal-hard.
Type II black or Type III black, which do I want?
Type II black for appearance and general protection; Type III black when the part also needs hard coat wear resistance. The table above walks the decision.
Will black anodize fade outdoors?
Quality black dye, properly sealed, is stable in normal service. For long-term direct sun, tell us; dye selection accounts for it.
How consistent is black across a batch?
The batch dyes together and seals together, so the black holds part to part and reorder to reorder.
What is the turnaround?
3 to 4 days standard, expedites as fast as same day, pickup and delivery within 100 miles of Paoli.
Black on your print, back in 3 to 4 days.
Type II or Type III, quoted from the drawing and the count. Expedites answered by text.