Surface treatment analysis: master the quality of your coatings and baths
Surface treatments play an essential role in the performance of industrial parts. Whether the goal is to improve corrosion resistance, reduce wear, promote paint adhesion, or provide electrical or aesthetic properties, mastering these processes is a major challenge for many industrial sectors.
At the FILAB laboratory, we support manufacturers with the analysis, testing, and expertise of surface treatments to secure their processes, qualify their suppliers, and resolve failures encountered in production.
Why carry out a surface treatment analysis?
Analyzing a surface treatment meets many industrial needs:
- verify the compliance of a coating with specifications or a standard;
- check the composition of surface treatment baths;
- measure the thickness of a deposit;
- identify an adhesion, corrosion, or aging defect;
- qualify a new process or a new supplier;
- investigate a failure on a part in service.
Thanks to its expertise in analytical chemistry and materials characterization, the FILAB laboratory works both in quality control and failure analysis, as well as within R&D projects.
Failure analysis expertise
When defects appear on a treated part, an expert analysis makes it possible to identify their origin.
We are notably involved in:
- adhesion issues;
- premature corrosion;
- coating delamination;
- corrosion pitting;
- surface contamination;
- non-compliance after treatment.
Our experts combine several analytical techniques to determine root causes and propose areas for improvement.
The FILAB laboratory supports you in surface treatment analysis
Analysis and control of surface treatment baths
The chemical composition of baths changes during use. Analytical monitoring helps ensure process stability and guarantee the quality of the deposits obtained.
The laboratory carries out in particular:
assay of major constituents;
assay of metallic contaminants;
detection of pollution or contamination.
assay of additives;
control of pH, conductivity, and other physico-chemical parameters;
These analysis help optimize bath service life, anticipate process drift, and reduce non-conformities.
Coating characterization
FILAB characterizes all metallic, organic, or mineral coatings to verify their compliance and performance.
Our services include in particular:
- measurement of layer thickness;
- determination of chemical composition;
- identification of the phases present;
- observation of morphology and interfaces;
- analysis of defects (porosity, cracks, inclusions, delamination);
- measurement of roughness and surface finish.
Surface treatment analysis by anodizing
Anodizing is a surface treatment specific to aluminum, designed to provide it with protection or a specific visual appearance. Its purpose is to create a uniform, durable layer of aluminum oxides through electrolysis.
It is an electrochemical process that refers to the chemical modification of a surface in order to change certain properties, for example to:
- make it more compatible with its environment
- improve its performance in relation to its application (visual properties, adhesion, etc.).
As part of product development or process optimization, FILAB supports you in validating your anodizing surface treatments.
As part of an anodizing treatment analysis, FILAB offers the following services:
Analysis of the homogeneity of a surface treatment
Analysis of layers and thickness measurement
Identification of contamination or surface defects
Surface chemistry analysis
Why choose FILAB for surface treatment analysis?
The FILAB laboratory provides industrial companies with:
- more than 30 years of expertise in chemical analysis and materials characterization;
- state-of-the-art analytical equipment brought together on a single 5,200 m² site;
- a team of specialized engineers and PhDs;
- support ranging from analysis to expertise and the resolution of industrial issues;
- services carried out under quality assurance to meet the requirements of the most demanding industrial sectors.
Our other surface treatment services
surface contamination analysis
aging tests
qualification of surface treatment processes
corrosion testing
failure analysis
Our treatment bath analysis services
Our FAQ
To get a quote, you can contact our teams via our contact form, by phone, or by email.
All you need to do is send us your requirements (material type, desired analysis, any applicable standard, urgency, number of samples, etc.). We will then send you a personalized technical and pricing proposal within 24-48 hours.
Lead times vary depending on the nature of the analysis and the complexity of the expert assessment project.
However, FILAB is committed to providing fast turnaround times tailored to your constraints and industrial urgencies.
The laboratory works on many processes, such as anodizing, zinc plating, nickel plating, chrome plating, galvanizing, phosphating, passivation, conversion treatments, as well as organic, polymer, PVD, and CVD coatings.
Surface treatment analysis meet the requirements of many sectors:
- aerospace and space;
- automotive;
- defense;
- medical devices;
- energy and nuclear;
- electronics;
- mechanical industry;
- luxury.
A surface treatment analysis involves characterizing a coating or checking a treatment bath to verify compliance, assess performance, or identify the source of a failure. It relies on analytical chemistry and materials characterization techniques.
The analysis makes it possible to:
- verify coating compliance;
- check the composition of a treatment bath;
- qualify a new process or supplier;
- identify the causes of poor adhesion or corrosion;
- meet the requirements of a specification or standard.
The analysis focus in particular on:
- the assay of bath constituents;
- the control of additives;
- the search for contaminants;
- the analysis of dissolved metals;
- the measurement of pH, conductivity, and other physico-chemical parameters.
These checks help prevent process drift and improve treatment stability.
An expert assessment is recommended when a part shows premature corrosion, coating delamination, poor adhesion, surface contamination, corrosion pitting, or any other failure likely to affect its performance.
