Surface Improvement

There are many different types of surface finishing that are available. Below is a list of the most commonly used surface finishes.

External surface finishes are applied to components if the parts require a decorative finish or corrosion resistance.

To simplify this and help us select the best tooling and process design, surfaces of die castings are classified as one of five grades:

Class, As-Cast Finish, Final Finish or End Use

Class	As-Cast Finish	Final Finish or End Use
Utility Grade	No cosmetic requirements. Some surface imperfections are acceptable.	Used as-cast or with protective coatings: Anodize (non-decorative) Chromate (yellow—clear)
Functional Grade	Surface imperfections that can be removed by spot polishing or can be covered by heavy paint are acceptable.	Decorative Coatings: Lacquers Enamels Plating (Al) Chemical Finish Polished Finish
Commercial Grade	Slight surface imperfections that can be removed by agreed-upon means are acceptable.	Structural Parts (high-stress areas): Plating (Zn) Electrostatic Painting Transparent Paints
Consumer Grade	No objectionable surface imperfections.	Special Decorative Parts
Superior Grade	Surface finish applicable to limited areas of the casting and dependent on alloy selected; required to have maximum value in micro inches as specified on print.	O-Ring Seats or Gasket Areas.