Surface finish is usually the last line on the drawing and the first thing a customer sees. Chosen late, it is also where otherwise-good parts fail inspection: a finish adds or removes material, and a tolerance that was comfortable off the machine can disappear under a coating. This guide walks through the common finishing routes for machined, cast and fabricated metal parts – anodising, powder coating, plating, conversion coating and passivation – and the design decisions that keep finish, fit and function from fighting each other.
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Extrusion, Casting, or Forging: Matching the Metal Process to Your Part
A practical guide to choosing between extrusion, casting, and forging for metal parts: strengths, trade-offs, and how to decide.
Die Casting, Extrusion, or CNC: Matching the Metal Process to Your Part
A practical primer on choosing between pressure die casting, extrusion, and CNC machining for aluminium and steel parts.