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
Standalone ultrasonic cleaning turnaround is typically 3-5 business days from receipt of parts. Cycle time per batch is 10-30 minutes depending on contamination severity, but turnaround includes intake, pre-assessment, cleaning, verification, and documentation. For parts proceeding to coating, cleaning is integrated into the coating schedule and does not add separate lead time. Contact us at 970.541.7331 for current scheduling availability.
We use a multi-method verification approach. Water-break testing confirms DI water sheets uniformly across surfaces with zero beading, verifying the absence of oils and films. White-glove inspection checks for particulate transfer. For critical aerospace applications, dyne pen testing measures surface energy against your specified threshold. Rinse water conductivity is verified below 10 microsiemens per centimeter. Parts that fail any verification step are re-cleaned before release.
Yes. While ultrasonic cleaning is frequently performed as surface preparation before coating application, we also provide it as a standalone precision cleaning service. Standalone cleaning orders receive the same AS9100 process controls, documentation, and verification as cleaning performed before coating. Parts are returned clean with a Certificate of Conformance documenting all cleaning parameters and verification results.
Ultrasonic cavitation removes machining fluids, cutting oils, coolant residue, fingerprint oils, mold release agents, flux residue, carbon deposits, embedded particulates, and additive manufacturing support material. The cavitation action reaches contaminants in blind holes, internal passages, threads, and lattice structures that manual cleaning and spray methods cannot access. Solution chemistry is selected based on the specific contamination type and substrate material.
No. Ultrasonic cavitation is a non-contact cleaning method that does not mechanically abrade or distort parts. Cleaning solution chemistry is matched to the substrate material to prevent chemical attack. Alkaline solutions are used for aluminum, neutral formulations prevent hydrogen embrittlement on titanium, and polymer-safe solutions protect additive manufacturing parts. We have cleaned parts with wall thicknesses under 0.5mm without damage or dimensional change.