Weight Reduction
Precision Cerakote ceramic coatings for aerospace, defense, and industrial components.
What Thick Coatings Cost Your Lightweighting Program
Every gram removed through topology optimization, material substitution, or additive manufacturing represents engineering investment. A 4-6 mil powder coating adds that weight back, consuming dimensional tolerance budgets and compounding across production volumes. For aerospace fleets, the penalty multiplies across hundreds of aircraft and thousands of flight hours.
- Tolerance consumed: Powder coating at 3-5 mils adds up to 0.003 inches per side, exceeding tight-tolerance budgets on precision mating surfaces and threaded features
- Weight compounding: Across 5,000 coated interior components per aircraft, thick coatings add 156 lbs versus 37.5 lbs with thin-film application, a 118.5 lb penalty per airframe
- Interference fits: Complex AM geometries, lattice structures, and conformal cooling channels clog or bridge when coated at 4+ mils, requiring rework or scrapping optimized parts
Thin-Film Ceramic Coating at 0.5-2 Mils
Cerakote® ceramic coating bonds at the molecular level in a 0.5-2 mil film, delivering full corrosion and wear protection without measurable weight penalty. The thin-film application conforms to complex geometries, preserves dimensional tolerances to within 0.001 inches, and maintains performance that thick coatings require 3-5 mils to achieve.
- 200-400g savings per part: At 0.5-2 mils versus powder coating at 3-5 mils, each component carries a fraction of the coating weight while retaining 3,000+ hours of salt spray resistance (ASTM B117)
- Tolerance preservation: A 1 mil application adds only 0.001 inches per side, maintaining thread class fit and press-fit dimensions that powder coating destroys at 4+ mils
- Complex geometry conformance: Thin-film coating follows lattice structures, topology-optimized features, and internal channels without bridging or clogging passages critical to AM part function
Measured Thickness, Verified Weight Savings
Every weight reduction claim is verified through dry film thickness measurement (ASTM B499), pre- and post-coating dimensional inspection, and gravimetric analysis. AS9100 documentation captures coating thickness, dimensional data, and weight calculations for each production lot.
- Coating thickness: 0.5-2.0 mils measured via magnetic induction and eddy current methods per ASTM B499, with uniformity of 0.0002 inches on flat surfaces and 0.0005 inches on complex geometries
- Dimensional verification: Pre- and post-coating CMM measurement confirms tolerance preservation, with AS9102 First Article Inspection available for aerospace programs
- Full protection at thin film: 3,000+ hours salt spray resistance (ASTM B117), 9H pencil hardness (ASTM D3363), and 8,000+ wear cycles per mil (ASTM D4060), all achieved at 0.5-2 mils
Industries Where Weight Matters
Thin-film ceramic coating for weight-sensitive components.
Weight Reduction for Oil and Gas Equipment
Thick coatings add mass to equipment transported to remote wellsites and offshore platforms. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils saves 200-400g per part versus powder coating. ISO 9001 certified.
Weight Reduction for Medical Device Components
Surgical instruments must be light enough for hours of precise use. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils saves 200-400g per part versus powder coating without compromising protection. ISO 9001 certified.
Weight Reduction for Maritime Equipment
Heavy coatings add mass to marine hardware that affects vessel performance and handling. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils saves 200-400g per part versus powder coating. ISO 9001 certified.
Weight Reduction for Industrial OEM Components
Thick coatings add unnecessary mass to engineered equipment. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils delivers 200-400g savings per part versus powder coating while preserving tolerances. ISO 9001 certified.
Weight Reduction for Defense and Tactical Equipment
Tactical systems carry weight penalties from thick coatings that reduce mobility and increase operator fatigue. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils saves 200-400g per part. ITAR registered, AS9100 certified.
Weight Reduction for Automotive R&D Prototypes
Every 100 lbs of EV mass costs 2-3 percent range. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils saves 200-400g per part versus powder coating, protecting prototypes without adding mass. ISO 9001 certified.
Weight Reduction for Agriculture Equipment
Heavy coatings add mass to field equipment that operators must handle and transport. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils saves 200-400g per part versus powder coating. ISO 9001 certified.
Weight Reduction for Aerospace Components
Thick coatings add avoidable weight to lightweighted airframe structures. Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils delivers 200-400g savings per part versus powder coating. AS9100-certified with full traceability.
How We Deliver Weight Reduction
Full protection at 0.5-2 mils versus 3-5 mils for powder coating.
High-velocity application
Atomized coating reaches every surface and crevice.
Complete submersion coating
Total coverage for complex geometries and internal passages.
Precision hand application
Controlled placement for selective protection on assemblies.
Charged particle deposition
Uniform thickness with minimal overspray and material waste.
Aerospace fasteners tested in the field
A military contractor needed corrosion resistance on landing gear fasteners exposed to salt spray and thermal cycling. ColoradoKote's ceramic coating passed 5,000+ hours of ASTM B117 testing with zero red rust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about our coating processes and technical capabilities
ColoradoKote is ITAR registered and coats weapons system components, electronics housings, vehicle-mounted hardware, and field-deployed equipment for defense programs. Our facility in Johnstown, CO maintains the security protocols and documentation controls required for controlled technical data. We offer low-visibility finishes in earth tones, flat blacks, and custom tactical colors matched to program specifications.
The corrosion protection from passivation is inherent to the stainless steel itself. By removing contaminants and maximizing surface chromium, passivation restores the material to its designed corrosion resistance, which can last the lifetime of the part in appropriate environments. For environments that exceed stainless steel's natural limits, adding a Cerakote topcoat at 0.5-2 mils extends measurable salt spray resistance to 3,000 hours per ASTM B117.
Polymer coatings resist a broad range of acids, bases, solvents, petroleum products, and process chemicals encountered in industrial environments. The specific chemical resistance profile depends on the polymer formulation selected for your application. We evaluate your chemical exposure conditions and select the formulation that provides the required resistance. For chemical tank internals, pipe fittings, and valve components, polymer coating provides flexible protection that survives thermal cycling and vibration.
Vapor smoothing works only on specific polymer AM materials and offers no protective properties, just surface smoothing. Cerakote post-processing reduces surface roughness from Ra 8-15 micrometers to below 3 micrometers while simultaneously adding corrosion protection exceeding 3,000 hours salt spray, abrasion resistance of 4,000 cycles per mil, and chemical resistance. Cerakote also works on both polymer and metal AM substrates, making it a universal post-processing solution that vapor smoothing cannot match in scope or performance.
Yes. Raw AM parts typically exhibit Ra 8-15 micrometers depending on build orientation and technology. Controlled blasting at 40-60 PSI knocks down the highest peaks and partially trapped powder, creating a more uniform surface for coating. When followed by Cerakote application, the combined process brings surface roughness below 3 micrometers. This makes blasting plus coating the most effective surface finishing path for production AM parts.
Get Your Weight Analysis
Request a weight analysis for your parts. We respond within 24 hours with specifications.