At my dad's business we frequently anodize aluminum parts in our plating tank. Supposedly (according to my dad haha), we have one of the coldest plating methods around (temps as low as 4C). The parts that come out of the tank have a black coating around them that is super hard, and bonded to the aluminum.
My question is, can this method be used to plate aluminum wheels? The color is very dark and uniform, and I feel the coating will last longer than painting, but am unsure of how it compares to powder coating. It certainly is easy as a DIY, all I have to do is stick the wheel in the tank for a couple of hours. However, most rims have some sort of clear coat on them (which would have to come off), or are an aluminum alloy, so the color may not be black, but a dark gray instead. I know that there are some engineers on here, as well as others with extensive knowledge so I am looking for some helpful info.
How much does powder coating typically cost, and has this already been done? I know that other companies use anodizing, but our process results in smaller pore size and a stronger coat. If I can make this work I am thinking of starting a little side "venture" and coat wheels as a service.
Here is an example of an anodized part:
