Titanium

Titanium anodizing grows a controlled oxide film to add corrosion resistance and stable interference colors with minimal dimensional change and no paint or dye.

Overview

Titanium anodizing is an electrochemical coating process that thickens the natural TiO₂ layer on titanium alloys. Shops use controlled voltage (and good surface prep) to produce repeatable interference colors for identification or aesthetics, while improving corrosion resistance and surface passivation.

Choose titanium anodizing for titanium parts that need color coding, a clean biocompatible surface, and a thin coating that won’t materially affect fits. It fits prototypes through production; cost is driven by cleaning, masking, racking, and color control rather than cycle time.

Tradeoffs: color depends heavily on alloy, surface finish, and uniform current density, so cosmetic consistency takes process discipline. The oxide is thin and not a “hardcoat” for wear; abrasion will scratch through. Rack contact points will mark, and sharp edges/high current areas can show uneven color.

Common Materials

  • CP Titanium Grade 2
  • Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5)
  • Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Grade 23)
  • Titanium Grade 7

Tolerances

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Applications

  • Surgical instrument color coding
  • Orthopedic implant components
  • Aerospace titanium fasteners identification
  • Bicycle stems and bolts (decorative color)
  • Consumer electronics hardware accents
  • Dive and marine hardware corrosion passivation

When to Choose Titanium

Titanium anodizing makes sense when the base material is already titanium and you need thin-film corrosion protection plus stable color coding or decorative finish. It’s a good fit for parts with tight dimensional requirements where paint or thicker coatings are risky. Plan on tighter process control when cosmetic uniformity matters across lots or across multiple titanium grades.

vs Aluminum

Choose titanium anodizing when the part is titanium and you need oxide-film interference colors without dyes and with strong chemical stability. It’s also a common choice for biocompatible hardware where you want passivation plus identification colors on the same surface.

vs Magnesium

Choose titanium anodizing when you need a durable passive oxide in wet/chloride environments and don’t want the reactivity and coating sensitivity of magnesium. Titanium anodizing is generally more forgiving for corrosion performance, but won’t provide thick wear protection.

vs Zinc

Choose titanium anodizing when the substrate must stay titanium and you want a thin, integral oxide layer rather than a sacrificial metal coating. It’s better suited to parts where dimensional change must be minimal and the finish must stay stable without flaking or peeling.

vs Niobium

Choose titanium anodizing when you need a structural titanium alloy and want a color/passivation finish with common aerospace and medical supply chains. Niobium anodizing can produce vivid colors, but the material is typically selected for specialty corrosion or aesthetic applications rather than mainstream structural use.

vs Tantalum

Choose titanium anodizing when you want an anodic oxide finish on a lighter, more readily available engineering material. Tantalum is excellent in harsh chemical service, but cost and density usually push it to niche corrosion-critical parts rather than general hardware.

Design Considerations

  • Specify the exact titanium grade and keep mixed alloys out of the same cosmetic lot to avoid color mismatch
  • Call out color by approved sample or voltage range; avoid vague color names if appearance is critical
  • Control starting surface finish (blast, brushed, polished) because it strongly affects color brightness and uniformity
  • Mask threads, bearing surfaces, and electrical contact areas; expect visible rack contact marks
  • Avoid sharp outside edges and high-current features where color can shift or look blotchy
  • Provide cleanliness requirements (no oils, silicone, or adhesives) and note any prior heat treat/oxide scale that must be removed