Chapter 6

The final stage in the product realization is to give requisite finish to the product or a component. It is the final finish of the product that catches attention of the end user and a valuable operation from marketing point of view.

The choice of finishes starts with the reason for giving a finish to the object. It may be aesthetics, protection, environmental resistance, or standards. Then the choice becomes what is available for the type of substrate used, costs to be incurred  for setup, materials and labour, turnaround time, and regulatory issues.

The broad categories of metal finishes are:

• Natural Finishes
• Organic Coating
• Conversion Coatings
• Plating