Corrosion Protection for Defense
Precision Cerakote ceramic coatings for aerospace, defense, and industrial components.
The Corrosion Problem in Defense
Where coating failure is a mission-readiness risk
The challenge
Harsh environments demand coatings that hold.
The solution
ColoradoKote ceramic coating stops corrosion cold.
Why Cerakote for Defense Corrosion Protection
Outperforms Parkerizing and chrome in the field
Salt spray resistance beyond Mil-Spec
4,000+ hours salt spray resistance (ASTM B117) versus 500 to 1,000 hours for Parkerizing and 336-1,000 hours for anodizing. That is three to six times the protection of traditional defense coatings. Components maintain barrier integrity through desert, maritime, and arctic field environments without secondary treatments.
Dimensional precision for weapon systems
0.5-2 mil controlled thickness preserves the tight tolerances required for weapon systems, optical housings, and precision tactical assemblies. Parts coat to specification without post-coating machining. Powder coating at 3-5 mils causes dimensional interference that compromises function on close-tolerance defense components.
ITAR-compliant traceability
ColoradoKote is ITAR registered with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Every corrosion protection job is documented per AS9100 requirements under controlled-access protocols. Certificate of Conformance includes material batch numbers, Federal Standard 595 color verification, and full chain-of-custody documentation.
Multi-substrate coverage for mixed-material systems
Cerakote bonds to steel, aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, and polymer components. One coating system protects an entire weapon system regardless of substrate material. Chrome plating faces regulatory pressure from hexavalent chromium restrictions. Cerakote provides comparable corrosion protection without hazardous waste.
Corrosion Protection Specs for Defense
How We Deliver Corrosion Protection for Defense
ITAR-controlled process with documented chain of custody at every step
Controlled Intake and Surface Preparation
Defense articles enter our controlled-access facility under chain-of-custody documentation. Parts are logged, photographed, and assigned lot numbers. Substrates undergo ultrasonic cleaning, degreasing, and tailored media blasting. MIL-DTL-5541 chemical conversion pre-treatment is applied to aluminum components for enhanced corrosion protection.
Precision Corrosion Barrier Application
Cerakote is applied via calibrated HVLP equipment at 0.5-2 mil thickness, building a continuous corrosion barrier. Federal Standard 595 color matching is verified by spectrophotometer for tactical colors including ODG, FDE, and Coyote Brown. In-process DFT measurements confirm thickness compliance on every part.
Inspection and Certificate of Conformance
Multi-point final inspection verifies coating thickness, adhesion per ASTM D3359, pencil hardness, and color consistency (Delta E ≤1). Certificate of Conformance documents part identification, coating specification, material lot numbers, cure parameters, and all inspection results. Full AS9100 traceability ships with every defense order.
Proven Corrosion Protection for Defense
Corrosion protection performance is verified through standardized ASTM testing under AS9100 quality controls. Every production batch is documented with full lot traceability, and results are included on your Certificate of Conformance alongside chain-of-custody records.
4,000+ hours salt spray resistance
Validated against ASTM B117, the same standard used to qualify corrosion protection for military applications. This performance exceeds Parkerizing by three to six times, meaning components maintain protective integrity through extended field deployments without requiring retreatment or oil impregnation.
Hours salt spray resistance (ASTM B117)
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 Defense Equipment
Submit an ITAR-compliant corrosion protection RFP. We respond within 24 hours with pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about our coating processes and technical capabilities
Our facility handles everything from single prototype parts to recurring production runs of thousands of components. We have processed 20,000+ parts with zero quality escapes, and our production scheduling system balances capacity across standard, expedited, and rush orders. For large production programs or recurring orders, contact us early to establish a production schedule that aligns with your manufacturing calendar.
Our services form a complete finishing pipeline. Ultrasonic cleaning removes contamination. Sandblasting creates the mechanical bonding surface. Custom color matching develops and verifies your specified appearance. Cerakote or polymer coating provides the functional and aesthetic finish layer. For AM parts, this entire sequence transforms raw 3D-printed components into production-quality finished parts. Running all steps in one facility under one AS9100 quality system eliminates the handoff risks and quality gaps of multi-vendor finishing.
The 4,000 cycles per mil rating measures how many abrasion cycles the coating withstands per mil of thickness before wearing through, tested using a Taber abraser. At a typical 1 mil application, this means 4,000 cycles of abrasive contact before substrate exposure. In real-world terms, this translates to years of service life on wear surfaces, sliding contacts, and components subject to repeated mechanical abrasion.
Our standard passivation turnaround is 14 days, with 7-day and 3-day expedited options for vessel maintenance windows and urgent marine builds. We can process passivation and Cerakote in sequence in-house, eliminating multi-vendor coordination delays. Over 20,000 parts processed with zero quality issues means your marine hardware ships ready for service the first time.
Downhole tools, drill components, and wellhead hardware face abrasion from sand, proppant, scale, and metal-on-metal contact. Cerakote's 9H pencil hardness and 4,000 cycles per mil abrasion resistance maintain the coating's protective barrier through extended service intervals. Impact resistance of 160/160 inch-pounds handles the mechanical shock of tool running, wireline operations, and field handling.