Weight Reduction for Maritime
Precision Cerakote ceramic coatings for aerospace, defense, and industrial components.
The Weight Problem in Marine Equipment
Where coating mass affects vessel balance
The challenge
Harsh environments demand coatings that hold.
The solution
ColoradoKote ceramic coating stops corrosion cold.
Why Cerakote for Maritime Weight Reduction
Thin-film saltwater protection at reduced mass
200-400g savings per marine component
Cerakote at 0.5-2 mils replaces powder coating at 3-5 mils, reducing coating mass on deck hardware, fittings, and fasteners. Across hundreds of components per vessel, the cumulative savings improve topside weight distribution and reduce installation handling effort.
Dimensional precision on fittings
A 1 mil application adds only 0.001 inches per side, maintaining thread tolerances and mating surface specifications on marine hardware. Parts coat to dimension without post-coating modification, preserving the fit that saltwater-grade connections require.
ISO 9001 quality documentation
Certificate of Conformance includes DFT measurements, material batch numbers, and inspection results. Documented quality supports marine equipment manufacturer compliance requirements and provides traceability for warranty programs.
Galvanic isolation on mixed metals
Cerakote bonds to stainless steel, aluminum, and bronze, the dissimilar metals commonly combined in marine assemblies. The ceramic barrier isolates contact surfaces to reduce galvanic corrosion risk while adding minimal coating weight compared to thicker isolation methods.
Weight Reduction Specs for Maritime
How We Deliver Weight Reduction for Marine
Substrate-specific preparation for saltwater-grade thin-film coating
Surface Preparation for Marine Substrates
Ultrasonic cleaning removes salt deposits, marine oils, and surface contaminants. Degreasing and tailored media blasting create the surface profile for maximum adhesion on stainless steel, aluminum, and bronze substrates. Masking protects threads, mating surfaces, and functional areas.
Thin-Film Coating Application
Cerakote is applied via calibrated HVLP equipment at 0.5-2 mil thickness. In-process DFT measurements confirm uniform coverage without excess buildup on precision fittings. Multi-substrate compatibility means all components in a mixed-metal assembly coat under a single work order.
Inspection and Documentation
Final inspection verifies coating thickness, adhesion, and visual appearance. Certificate of Conformance documents all measurements and material batch records. ISO 9001 quality controls ensure consistent coating weight across production lots.
Verified Weight Savings for Marine Parts
Weight savings are verified through DFT measurement and gravimetric analysis. ISO 9001 documentation captures coating thickness and weight data for your engineering and quality records.
200-400g savings per part vs powder coating
At 0.5-2 mils versus 3-5 mils, each marine component carries less coating mass while retaining 4,000+ hours salt spray resistance for continuous saltwater exposure. Chip resistance 2-3x superior to powder coating maintains the protective barrier under deck handling and rigging contact.
Weight savings vs powder coating
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
Lighten Your Marine Hardware
Submit an RFP for marine equipment coating. We respond within 24 hours with pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about our coating processes and technical capabilities
Additive manufacturing parts, whether SLS nylon (PA12, PA11) or metal builds, have inherent surface roughness from the layer-by-layer process. Cerakote fills micro-porosity and smooths the surface while adding only 0.5-2 mils of material, preserving the dimensional accuracy of your print. The result is a production-grade surface finish with 3,000 hours salt spray resistance (ASTM B117) and 9H pencil hardness (ASTM D3363) on parts that would otherwise require extensive post-machining.
No. Cerakote achieves its performance specifications, including 3,000-hour salt spray, 9H pencil hardness, and 4,000 cycles per mil abrasion resistance, at its standard 0.5 to 2 mil thickness. The ceramic-polymer matrix delivers more protection per mil than conventional coatings. This means you get superior corrosion, abrasion, and chemical resistance in a fraction of the film build, maintaining both weight targets and dimensional tolerances.
Maritime hardware faces continuous salt exposure, making blast preparation especially critical. We blast marine components to SSPC-SP 10 near-white cleanliness, removing all chloride contamination, oxidation, and prior coating residue. The 2-4 mil anchor profile provides maximum adhesion surface for Cerakote, which then delivers salt spray resistance exceeding 3,000 hours. For marine applications, we recommend blast preparation followed by chromate-free conversion coating and Cerakote for the most durable corrosion protection stack.
Additive manufacturing eliminates tooling costs and minimum order quantities for industrial replacement parts, but raw AM surfaces do not meet production standards. ColoradoKote's post-processing transforms AM builds into production-quality finished parts at a fraction of the lead time and cost of traditional manufacturing plus finishing. The combined AM-plus-Cerakote approach is particularly cost-effective for low-volume industrial parts, obsolete components, and custom geometries where traditional manufacturing tooling cannot be justified.
Passivation per ASTM A967 removes free iron and surface contaminants from stainless steel industrial components, restoring the chromium-rich passive layer that gives stainless its corrosion resistance. This is essential for equipment exposed to chemicals, moisture, and temperature cycling in industrial environments. The process adds no dimensional change, so press-fit assemblies, sealing surfaces, and threaded connections remain within specification.