Surface & Hardness Treatments
From bead blasting and mirror polishing to DLC coating, powder coating, anodising and full heat treatment — we offer a comprehensive range of post-machining finishes and hardness treatments to protect, perform and perfect your parts.
Why treat your parts?
Corrosion resistance
Anodising, plating and passivation protect parts from rust, oxidation and chemical attack in harsh environments.
Wear resistance
Hardcoat anodising, DLC, PVD and nitriding dramatically increase surface hardness for sliding and rotating contacts.
Aesthetic finish
Polishing, brushing, bead blasting and powder coating deliver the exact visual quality your product demands.
Strength & toughness
Heat treatments like through hardening and case hardening give steel parts the strength to carry load and resist impact.
Treatments we offer
A comprehensive selection of surface finishes and heat treatments. Not sure which is right for your part? Request a quote and we'll recommend the best option.
Surface Finishes & Coatings
Appearance, corrosion and wear protection
Bead Blasting
A stream of fine glass beads is blasted at the part surface under pressure, producing a uniform matte, satin finish. Ideal for removing tool marks, improving visual appearance and preparing surfaces for further coating.
Typical uses
- Consumer enclosures
- Cosmetic parts
- Pre-coating prep
Mirror Polishing
Progressive abrasive polishing brings the surface to a flawless, mirror-like reflective finish. Removes all tool marks and imperfections for a premium decorative or optical-quality surface.
Typical uses
- Decorative parts
- Optical components
- Medical instruments
Brushing / Linishing
A fine abrasive belt creates uniform linear grain lines across the surface, giving a consistent satin brushed texture. Commonly seen on consumer electronics and architectural fittings.
Typical uses
- Consumer housings
- Architectural trim
- Decorative panels
Anodising Type II
An electrochemical process that grows a durable, corrosion-resistant oxide layer on aluminium. Can be dyed in a wide range of colours. The standard choice for cosmetic and corrosion protection on aluminium parts.
Typical uses
- Aluminium housings
- Consumer products
- Aerospace brackets
Hardcoat Anodising Type III
A thicker, denser oxide layer than Type II, providing superior wear and abrasion resistance. Typically dark grey to black. Used where the surface must withstand heavy sliding contact and harsh environments.
Typical uses
- Wear surfaces
- Automotive pistons
- Valve bodies
- Sliding guides
Powder Coating
Dry polymer powder is electrostatically sprayed and oven-cured to form a tough, uniform coating. Available in a vast range of colours and textures. Excellent impact and corrosion resistance on any metal.
Typical uses
- Sheet metal enclosures
- Outdoor equipment
- Structural frames
DLC Coating
Diamond-Like Carbon is a thin, extremely hard nanocomposite film deposited by PVD. Combines the low friction and high hardness of diamond with excellent wear resistance. Ideal for high-performance sliding and rotating components.
Typical uses
- Racing components
- Gears
- Shafts
- Cutting tools
- Medical devices
PVD Coating
Physical Vapour Deposition applies a thin, hard ceramic or metallic film (TiN, CrN, ZrN) in a vacuum chamber. Adds wear resistance and decorative colour options including gold, bronze and black without affecting dimensional tolerances.
Typical uses
- Decorative hardware
- Cutting tools
- Watch components
- Moulds
Electroplating (Zinc & Nickel)
An electrochemical process that deposits a layer of zinc or nickel onto the part surface. Zinc provides sacrificial corrosion protection for steel; nickel adds wear resistance and a bright decorative finish.
Typical uses
- Fasteners
- Shafts
- Automotive parts
- Marine hardware
Black Oxide
A chemical conversion coating that produces a matte black surface on steel. Provides mild corrosion resistance and a deep black appearance without affecting dimensions. Often paired with an oil or wax topcoat.
Typical uses
- Hand tools
- Fasteners
- Gun components
- Decorative black parts
Vibratory Tumbling (Rumble)
Parts are placed in a vibrating tub with abrasive or polishing media. The tumbling action deburrs edges, rounds sharp corners and produces a uniform surface finish across batches of parts simultaneously.
Typical uses
- Deburring
- Edge rounding
- Batch finishing
- Pre-plating prep
Hardness & Heat Treatments
Strength, wear resistance and toughness for steel
Through Hardening (Quench & Temper)
The part is heated above its critical temperature then rapidly quenched to form hard martensite, followed by tempering to reduce brittleness and achieve the target hardness. Produces uniform hardness throughout the entire cross-section.
Typical uses
- Gears
- Shafts
- Springs
- Cutting tools
- Load-bearing parts
Case Hardening (Carburising)
Carbon is diffused into the surface of low-carbon steel at high temperature, then quenched and tempered. Produces a hard, wear-resistant outer case with a tough, ductile core — ideal for parts that face both impact and wear.
Typical uses
- Transmission gears
- Camshafts
- Bushes
- Heavy-duty pins
Nitriding
Nitrogen is diffused into the steel surface at relatively low temperature (500–550 °C), forming hard nitride precipitates. No quench is required, so dimensional distortion is virtually zero and parts can be machined to final tolerance beforehand.
Typical uses
- Precision gears
- Injection moulds
- Hydraulic components
- Aerospace parts
Induction Hardening
A localised induction coil heats only the surface of the part, which is then rapidly quenched. Allows selective hardening of specific areas such as gear teeth or shaft journals while leaving the rest of the part soft and machinable.
Typical uses
- Gear teeth
- Shaft journals
- Wear tracks
- Cam surfaces
How it works
Machining
We CNC machine or 3D print your parts to the specified tolerance and surface finish.
Specify treatment
Tell us which surface finish or heat treatment you need — or ask us to recommend one.
Treatment applied
The finish or heat treatment is applied in-house or via our trusted partners.
QC & dispatch
Every part is inspected and packaged before dispatch to your delivery address.
Ready to finish your parts?
Request a quote and specify the surface finish or heat treatment you need. We'll handle the rest.
Get startedTruecut Precision Ltd
Unit N1, Gilmorton Lodge Farm, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 5NA