Titanium Color Anodizing: Thickness & Specs (AMS 2488)

What is Titanium anodize?

It is a voltage-controlled shop process, not AMS 2488 Type 2 (that designation is a thicker anti-galling anodic treatment). Exact color must be controlled by approved process and sample because geometry and alloy affect voltage response.

How it works

Clean titanium is made anodic in a suitable electrolyte. Applied voltage controls the nanometer-scale titanium-dioxide thickness, and reflected light interferes within that transparent film to produce gold, purple, blue, green, and other colors without pigment. Decorative colors generally correspond to roughly 0.03–0.20 µm oxide. Current falls as the insulating film reaches the voltage-controlled thickness. Surface finish, electrolyte, alloy, contact location, and voltage uniformity influence the observed color.

Why specify it

Produces color with only about 0.03–0.20 µm oxide
Adds negligible dimensional change
No dye can fade or leach from the oxide
Useful for medical-part identification and decorative titanium

Where it falls short

Color shifts with viewing angle and starting finish
Scratching removes the optical oxide
No single universal voltage guarantees a named color
Not a major wear or corrosion barrier

Titanium anodize at a glance

Titanium anodize is strongest on cosmetic quality (92 of 100), at a standard cost. Surface hardness is not rated: the finish leaves the part's own surface.

Corrosion protectionLow25 / 100

Surface hardnessNot rated—

Cosmetic qualityExcellent92 / 100

LubricityLow15 / 100

Relative costStandard38 / 100

Each score is 0–100 against every finish in this catalog. Corrosion comes from salt-spray life (ASTM B117, log scale) and hardness from the finish layer's Vickers or pencil hardness; cosmetic, lubricity and cost are FabDigit's engineering assessment. Economy on the radar is the inverse of cost.

Titanium anodize key numbers

Typical values from the governing specifications and shop practice; bars are this finish against the highest value among anodizing & conversion coatings finishes.

Thickness0.03–0.2 µm0–0.01 mil

Thickness

Approximately 30–200 nm for interference colors; control is normally by voltage and approved color sample.

Electrical

Insulating

Colours

gold
purple
blue
green
bronze
custom voltage color

Appearance

Iridescent interference color that follows the original polish, bead blast, or machining texture.

Specifications for Titanium anodize

The documents a drawing cites to define this finish, with the Type / Class rows that apply. Each links to a page explaining the standard.

Standard	Type / Class	Thickness	Requirement / test	Status
AMS 2488 Anodic Treatment, Titanium and Titanium Alloys, Solution pH 13 or Higher · SAE	Type 2	≤ 3 µm	Default anti-galling, galvanic-isolation, wear, and solid-film-lubricant pretreatment coating. · No measurable dimensional change with a 0.0001 in micrometer; lubricated AMS 4928 wear specimens must reach at least 75000 cycles.	Active

Drawing call-out

ANODIZE TITANIUM FOR COLOR, BLUE, MATCH APPROVED LIMIT SAMPLE FD-TI-BL-01; MASK THREADS AND ELECTRICAL CONTACTS

Pattern: TITANIUM ANODIZE PER AMS 2488 TYPE <1|2>, [AREAS], [SOLID-FILM LUBRICANT], [MASKING]

Which materials take Titanium anodize?

Verdict per material family, with the grades that behave differently. Each family links to its datasheets in the material library.

Material family	Verdict	Notes
DMLS / SLM	Yes	Titanium DMLS/SLM parts are commonly color-anodized after support removal and finishing.
Titanium	Yes	Commercially pure and common titanium alloys can be color anodized. Hold alloy and surface finish constant for matched color
Aluminum	No	Aluminum requires sulfuric, chromic, or other aluminum anodizing.
Brass	No	Brass is not titanium-anodized.
Copper Alloy	No	Copper alloys are not titanium-anodized.
FDM	No	Fused-filament polymers are incompatible with this process.
Magnesium Alloy	No	Magnesium uses a different anodic process.
MJF	No	Polymer powder-bed prints are incompatible with this process.
Polymer	No	Organic polymers cannot take this inorganic metal-finishing process.
SLA	No	Photopolymer prints are incompatible with this process.
SLS	No	Polymer powder-bed prints are incompatible with this process.
Stainless Steel	No	Stainless steel uses different coloring or PVD routes.
Steel	No	Steel cannot be color-anodized by this titanium process.
Zinc Alloy	No	Zinc alloys are incompatible.

How Titanium anodize is applied, and what it does to the part

1Clean / degrease
2Pickle / activate
3Rinse
4Anodize at controlled voltage
5Dry
6Compare with approved sample

Dimensions	At roughly 0.03–0.20 µm, buildup is negligible; electrical insulation and color consistency are the design concerns.
Build-up per side	0.03–0.2 µm — Dimensional effect is negligible for ordinary machined tolerances.
Masking	Usually needed. Mask electrical contacts, grounding surfaces, and any area whose oxide color must not change.
Electrical	Insulating
Appearance	Iridescent interference color that follows the original polish, bead blast, or machining texture.
Added lead time	3–7 working days on top of the bare part

Design rules for Titanium anodize

What to decide on the drawing before the part goes to the finisher.

Approve physical upper and lower color samples.Named colors do not define voltage, hue, or viewing-angle limits.
Keep alloys and starting finishes consistent.Surface texture and metallurgy alter perceived color.
Provide a hidden rack contact.Electrical contact leaves an unanodized witness.
Mask grounding areas.Even a submicrometer titanium oxide is electrically insulating.

Titanium anodize versus the alternatives

Finishes engineers weigh against Titanium anodize, and when each wins.

Finish	Corrosion	Hardness	Cosmetic	Cost	Thickness	Choose it when
Titanium anodize this page	25	—	92	$$	0.03–0.2 µm	—
Titanium Nitride PVD Titanium anodize vs Titanium Nitride PVD →	45	87	88	$$$$	1–5 µm	when a durable gold appearance must survive handling and abrasion
Bead Blasting Titanium anodize vs Bead Blasting →	5	—	65	$	0 µm	when a uniform matte titanium look without colour is enough

Titanium anodizeTitanium Nitride PVD

The radar overlays Titanium anodize with Titanium Nitride PVD, its most common alternative — chosen when a durable gold appearance must survive handling and abrasion. Scores in the table are 0–100 across every finish in the catalog.

Cost, lead time and compliance

Relative cost

Titanium Color Anodizing is a standard-cost finish ($$): cheaper than about 57 % of the finishes FabDigit quotes.

Finishing is priced per part with a lot minimum, from FabDigit's own China-side rates. The exact figure appears on the instant quote once the part is uploaded.

Lead time and compliance

Added lead time	3–7 working days
RoHS	Compliant
Notes	Color anodizing can be free of dyes and hexavalent chromium; verify electrolyte and cleaning chemistry.

What Titanium anodize is used for

Medical instrument identification
Titanium fastener color coding
Jewelry and watch parts
Aerospace titanium identification

Titanium anodize — frequently asked

How does titanium anodizing make colors?

Voltage grows a transparent titanium-oxide film roughly 30–200 nm thick. Light interference in that film produces color without dye or pigment.

Does titanium anodizing add thickness?

Yes technically, but the 0.03–0.20 µm optical oxide is negligible for normal mechanical tolerances. It can still electrically insulate a contact.

Does titanium anodizing fade?

The oxide contains no dye, so it does not fade like an organic colorant. Abrasion, fingerprints, contamination, and surface damage can still change its appearance.

What voltage makes blue titanium?

There is no universal drawing-safe voltage because electrolyte, alloy, finish, and equipment shift the result. Specify the governing process and an approved color sample rather than voltage alone.

Is titanium color anodizing wear resistant?

No; the color film is only tens to hundreds of nanometers thick. Use a qualified hard coating where abrasion is the primary requirement.

Other anodizing & conversion coatings finishes

Anodizing Type IIType II sulfuric anodizing converts aluminum into a porous aluminum-oxide coating that can be clear or dyed.CorrosionHardnessCost$$

Boric-Sulfuric Acid Anodizing Type IC on a machined part

Boric-Sulfuric Acid Anodizing Type ICBoric-sulfuric acid anodizing is a thin aerospace aluminum anodize recognized as MIL-A-8625 Type IC.CorrosionHardnessCost$$$

Chemical Conversion Coating on a machined part

Chemical Conversion CoatingChem film is a thin chemical conversion coating for aluminum that improves corrosion resistance while retaining useful electrical conductivity.CorrosionHardnessCost$

Chromic Acid Anodizing Type I on a machined part

Chromic Acid Anodizing Type IType I and low-voltage Type IB chromic-acid anodizing form thin, corrosion-resistant oxide on aluminum with less fatigue penalty than thick sulfuric anodize.CorrosionHardnessCost$$$

Hard Anodizing Type III on a machined part

Hard Anodizing Type IIIType III hard anodizing forms a thick, dense aluminum-oxide layer for sliding, abrasive, and high-load service.CorrosionHardnessCost$$$

Hard Anodizing Type III With PTFE on a machined part

Hard Anodizing Type III With PTFEPTFE hard anodize combines a 25–75 µm Type III oxide with a fluoropolymer impregnation or post-treatment to reduce friction.CorrosionHardnessCost$$$

Magnesium Chemical Conversion Coating on a machined part

Magnesium Chemical Conversion CoatingMagnesium conversion coating reacts with magnesium alloys to improve corrosion resistance and paint adhesion with minimal buildup.CorrosionHardnessCost$$$

Nitriding and QPQNitriding diffuses nitrogen into steel to create a hard wear-resistant case without depositing a conventional coating.CorrosionHardnessCost$$$$

Compare every anodizing & conversion coatings finish side by side →