Corrosion Resistance for Automotive R&D
Precision Cerakote ceramic coatings for aerospace, defense, and industrial components.
Prototype Corrosion Undermines Durability Testing
Road spray and salt exposure attack unprotected test components
The challenge
Harsh environments demand coatings that hold.
The solution
ColoradoKote ceramic coating stops corrosion cold.
Why Cerakote for Automotive Prototype Corrosion
One coating system for every prototype material
4,000+ Hours Salt Spray Resistance
ASTM B117 verified across steel, aluminum, and 3D-printed prototype substrates. Protects components through extended durability testing without premature corrosion interference.
Multi-Material Protection
Single coating protects steel, aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, and 3D-printed components with identical corrosion resistance. One vendor, one process, all substrates.
Chemical & Fluid Resistance
Resists brake fluid, coolant, fuel, road de-icer, and cleaning chemicals. Maintains barrier through the fluid exposures automotive prototypes encounter during testing.
Show-Quality Protection
Corrosion resistance with aesthetic finish quality. Prototypes stay presentation-ready through testing cycles that would destroy conventional protective coatings.
Automotive Corrosion Specifications
How We Protect Automotive Prototypes
Substrate-specific preparation for multi-material assemblies
Multi-Material Assessment
Prototype substrates identified and mapped. Each material gets the preparation protocol optimized for Cerakote adhesion and corrosion barrier formation.
Surface Preparation & Coating
Media blasting tailored to each substrate. Cerakote applied at 0.5-2 mils with color consistency across all materials. In-process thickness verification.
Cure & Quality Verification
Cure temperature matched to substrate requirements. Adhesion testing, thickness verification, and color confirmation. Documentation for prototype program records.
Proven Automotive Corrosion Data
Salt spray resistance verified on automotive-relevant substrates through ASTM B117 testing. Protection data supports engineering evaluation for prototype and pre-production programs.
Hours salt spray resistance
Other services to consider
Explore what else we offer.
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.
Certified and compliant for your industry
Protect Your Prototypes
Send your prototype specs and material list. We respond within 24 hours with corrosion protection approach and pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about our coating processes and technical capabilities
Cerakote transforms the visible layer lines and matte texture of SLS and MJF parts into smooth, uniform finishes that are visually indistinguishable from injection-molded components. With over 200 colors available and spectrophotometer-verified matching to Delta E 1.5, we can match your production color specifications exactly. This makes AM viable for customer-facing components, not just hidden structural parts.
Yes. Agricultural equipment contacts fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and acidic soil conditions that aggressively attack metal surfaces. Polymer coating provides flexible chemical resistance that survives the field conditions, including impact, vibration, and temperature extremes, that agricultural equipment faces. For components like sprayer nozzle bodies, chemical tank fittings, and seed treatment equipment, polymer coating provides the chemical barrier that conventional paint cannot maintain.
Yes. Color-coded Cerakote finishes help surgical teams quickly identify instrument types, sizes, and sets during procedures. Our spectrophotometer-verified matching to Delta E 1.5 ensures consistent color across instrument sets ordered at different times. The coating maintains color accuracy through thousands of sterilization cycles, unlike anodized finishes that fade and discolor with repeated autoclave exposure.
Chemical conversion coating itself adds less than 1 micron of thickness, contributing virtually zero weight. More importantly, it enables the use of lightweight aluminum in corrosive automotive environments by providing a reliable corrosion barrier. When topped with Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils instead of powder coating at 4-6 mils, the total coating weight is significantly reduced, supporting the overall lightweighting strategy that performance and EV applications demand.
Raw AM parts typically exhibit Ra 8-15 micrometers depending on build orientation and process. Our post-processing sequence, controlled blasting at 40-60 PSI followed by Cerakote application at 0.5-2 mils, reduces surface roughness to below 3 micrometers. This transformation converts rough, porous AM surfaces into smooth, sealed, production-quality finishes with the added benefits of corrosion protection exceeding 3,000 hours salt spray and abrasion resistance of 4,000 cycles per mil.