Metal Finishing Services for Precision Components
High-performance metal finishing services for precision high-reliability parts used in aerospace, medical, defense, commercial, and industrial applications where surface quality, reliability, and specification compliance are essential.
All Services
mETAL FINISHING CAPABILITIES & SURFACE PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES
MIL delivers one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of metal finishing services, engineered to enhance durability, corrosion resistance, wear performance, dimensional stability, surface cleanliness, and cosmetic appearance. Our finishing processes support highly engineered components where surface condition directly impacts performance, safety, fit, or assembly.
Spec & Capability Highlights
- Nadcap-accredited, ISO-certified, and prime-approved metal finishing processes
- Comprehensive finishing for aerospace, medical, defense, commercial, and industrial parts
- Surface modification, surface removal, conversion coatings, electropolishing, and cleaning services
- Expertise finishing complex geometries, thin-wall parts, and tight-tolerance components
- One of the widest metal finishing capability portfolios under a single roof
EXPLORE OUR metal finishing PROCESSES
MIL provides detailed, specification-driven metal finishing processes tailored to material type, application, and performance requirements. Explore individual process pages for technical details, prime approvals, and application guidance.
Aluminum Anodizing
Electrochemical surface conversion that improves corrosion resistance, wear performance, and durability while maintaining tight dimensional control.
Black Oxide
A thin conversion coating that enhances appearance, reduces glare, and provides lubricity for steel components without dimensional buildup.
Cadmium Plating
Sacrificial corrosion-protection plating offering excellent lubricity, conductivity, and protection for high-strength steel parts.
Chem Film / Alodine / Conversion Coating
Chromate conversion coatings that provide corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and an ideal base for subsequent coatings on aluminum.
Chemical Milling
Controlled chemical material removal used for weight reduction, alpha-case removal, and precision stock reduction on critical components.
Electropolishing
Electrochemical surface refinement that improves cleanliness, corrosion resistance, surface finish, and dimensional consistency.
Etching
Precision chemical surface preparation that removes oxides and contaminants to ensure proper adhesion for plating, anodizing, or coating.
Passivation
Chemical treatment that restores corrosion resistance to stainless steel by removing free iron and surface contamination.
Phosphate Conversion Coating on Titanium
Specialized conversion coating that prepares titanium surfaces for improved adhesion of paints and solid film lubricants.
Phosphating – Zinc & Manganese
Immersion coatings that enhance corrosion resistance, wear performance, and lubricant retention for steel components.
Pickling (Stainless Steel)
Controlled acid cleaning process that removes scale and oxides from stainless steel without impacting dimensional tolerances.
Prepenetrant Etching
Light surface etching used prior to penetrant inspection to reveal flaws that could otherwise be masked by smeared metal or oxides.
Titanium Cleaning
Specialized chemical cleaning that removes scale, tarnish, and processing residues from titanium alloys without damaging the base material.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
High-frequency cavitation cleaning that removes fine contaminants from complex geometries and precision components.
Vapor Degreasing
Solvent-based cleaning method that efficiently removes oils and greases, leaving parts clean, dry, and residue-free.
How the Metal finishing Process Works
Step 1 — Surface Preparation & Evaluation
Each part begins with careful evaluation of material, geometry, and specifications. Cleaning, degreasing, masking, or fixturing are performed to prepare the part for the required finishing process.
Step 2 — Finishing Process Execution
The selected metal finishing method—such as anodizing, electropolishing, conversion coating, chemical removal, or cleaning—is performed according to specification and prime requirements.
Step 3 — Post-Processing & Stabilization
Parts may undergo rinsing, neutralizing, sealing, drying, or corrosion-inhibitor application depending on the finish. These steps stabilize the surface and prepare components for next-stage processing or assembly.
Step 4 — Inspection & Certification
Processes are validated through visual inspection, dimensional verification, conductivity checks, surface roughness evaluation, corrosion resistance tests, and other spec-driven measurements.
Why Work With MIL for metal finishing?
Deep Specification Expertise
MIL executes thousands of prime-approved finishing specifications—critical for aerospace metal finishing, medical device surfaces, and precision components requiring exact compliance.
Consistent, Repeatable Quality
With 82+ years of experience, MIL provides consistent, high-quality finishes for components where surface integrity and performance are mission-critical.
One-Stop Shop Efficiency
Metal finishing, cleaning, surface enhancement, NDT, coatings, and marking are performed in one facility, reducing lead time, handling risk, and process variation.
Built for High-Stakes Manufacturing Environments
Engineers, machinists, and buyers depend on MIL for fast quoting, predictable turnaround times, and confidence that the finishing process will be done right the first time.
Applications & Industries Served
Component Types
- Precision machined components and multi-part assemblies
- Housings, brackets, fittings, fasteners, and hardware
- Medical and surgical components
- Aerospace hardware and flight-critical parts
- Aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and specialty alloy components requiring surface modification or corrosion protection
Industries
- Aerospace & defense
- Medical device and instrumentation manufacturing
- Commercial and industrial equipment
- Space systems
- R&D, prototype, and low-volume precision production
FAQs
Yes. MIL’s metal finishing processes are Nadcap-accredited, ISO-certified, and approved by major aerospace and defense primes.
We routinely execute thousands of specification-driven processes, including MIL, AMS, ASTM, and OEM customer specs.
Every finish—whether anodizing, passivation, conversion coating, electropolishing, chemical milling, or oxide treatments—is performed to exact specification and supported with complete certification and documentation.
All surface preparation is handled in-house. Depending on the process and material, this may include:
- Precision cleaning and degreasing
- Etching, deoxidizing, or chemical activation
- Abrasive blasting or mechanical preparation
- Masking for tight-tolerance or selective surfaces
- Fixturing for complex geometries
Since adhesion, corrosion resistance, and finish quality depend heavily on proper prep, MIL controls every step internally to ensure optimal results and repeatability.
Turnaround times vary by finish type, masking, quantity, and specification requirements, but our quoting team provides clear timelines up front.
Typical patterns:
- Prototype or low-volume parts: Fast, predictable turn times with minimal queue impact
- Production or recurring aerospace parts: Scheduled processing windows and consistent throughput
- Multi-process workflows: Faster than most providers because the work stays in one facility
MIL’s one-stop-shop approach—finishing, coatings, NDT, marking, and more—reduces transportation delays and minimizes schedule risk.
Quality verification is built into every process and aligned with prime and industry requirements. Depending on the finish, inspections may include:
- Passivation: copper sulfate testing, humidity testing, salt fog, or ferroxyl testing
- Chemical milling: witness pad verification, dimensional checks, surface finish measurement, and hydrogen embrittlement controls
- Anodizing & conversion coatings: thickness measurement, adhesion checks, conductivity testing, or seal verification
- Electropolishing: surface roughness (Ra) measurement, dimensional evaluation, and visual inspection
MIL maintains strict process controls, chemical bath monitoring, and traceability to ensure consistent, repeatable results for mission-critical components.
Absolutely. MIL specializes in processing challenging, high-value, and geometrically complex components.
We regularly finish:
- Thin-wall and complex-machined aerospace components
- Titanium aircraft skins requiring controlled chemical milling
- Stainless and nickel alloys used in medical and surgical instrumentation
- Precision hardware with tight dimensional tolerances
- Multi-part or multi-step assemblies that require coordinated finishing
Our deep experience with titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, and specialty alloys—combined with prime approvals and Nadcap accreditation—allows us to take on parts that many shops cannot process reliably.
Request a Quote or Speak with a Metal Finishing Specialist
Receive fast, accurate quoting for aerospace, medical, military, and commercial metal finishing services.
Not sure which finishing process your part requires? Need help interpreting a specification? Our technical experts can help you determine the right solution.
When Your Parts Carry Risk, We Carry the Load. 82 Years of Flight-Critical Confidence.