Can an anodized piece of aluminum be reanodized after being hit with the laser?

Jeff

Usually you do very little damage to the anodize unless you overpower the cut. It burns out the dye. You can blast out the anodized coating, (aluminum oxide), with too much power.

If you mean to undo the engraving and match the color, that will be a problem. It is dyed in boiling dye and it must be the same dye, same temp and same time. Even then it probably will show a little bit. Then you will have to delve out the dyes and parameters, a very unenvious task.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Tips Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

Thanks. Didn't really think there was a chance to save them.

Jeff

Jeff,

We have stripped them and re anodized them with out any problems. Its just about the cost and if it is worth the expense.

Any metal plater can do this.

I have talked to an anodizer about this in the past..........

They can strip the anodic layer and dye pretty easily..... It would have to go through that as well as the re-anodising them....Once stripped and re-dyed...I highly doubt you would ever know they had been lasered. I would be able to get clarification from this anodizer if it was necessary.

Best bet would be to talk to an plating house that does anodizing. I'm betting they could be saved.

Brian G.

I have had some experience with black anodized in outdoor use and find it to be quite durable. I've had signs that I know are more than 6 years old and outside year round and still look good.

The Missouri Botanical Garden (one of the country's largest) uses exclusively anodized aluminum and I'm sad to say they bought their own laser engraving machine just about the time I was ready to take over their sign making.