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
We coat steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, copper alloys, and polymer substrates with corrosion-resistant Cerakote formulations. Each substrate receives appropriate preparation: chemical conversion for aluminum, passivation for stainless steel, and media blasting for ferrous metals and other materials. This multi-substrate capability means one vendor handles your full parts list regardless of material mix.
Ultrasonic cleaning and sandblasting serve different purposes and typically complement each other in the coating preparation sequence. Ultrasonic cleaning removes chemical and organic contaminants (oils, fluids, films) from the substrate. Sandblasting creates the mechanical anchor profile for coating adhesion. For the highest coating performance, we use ultrasonic cleaning first to remove contaminants, followed by sandblasting for surface profile, then proceed to coating application. The sequence matters.
Soil contact and persistent moisture accelerate corrosion on stainless steel, especially when free iron from welding or fabrication is present on the surface. Passivation removes this free iron and restores the natural passive layer, significantly extending service life for ground-engaging and moisture-exposed agricultural components. The process is fast, adds no dimensional change, and pairs well with Cerakote topcoats when maximum durability is required.
Chemical conversion coating itself is primarily a corrosion and adhesion treatment, not a wear coating. However, it serves as the critical bonding layer for Cerakote ceramic topcoats, which provide excellent wear and abrasion resistance. The combined stack, conversion coating for adhesion plus Cerakote for hardness and durability, gives aluminum parts both the wear life and corrosion protection that demanding applications require, all at 0.5-2 mils total thickness.
Yes. Our spectrophotometer-verified color matching replicates OEM brand colors to within Delta E 1.5, ensuring coated components match your corporate identity specifications exactly. We document the color standard for each OEM program and maintain it across production runs for consistent branded appearance. This is particularly valuable for customer-visible equipment housings, control panels, and branded components.