Houghton International Inc. and Houghton Technical Corp. today announce that the United States Patent Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 9,732,428, entitled “Methods and Compositions for Acid Treatment of a Metal Surface.” This patent protects Houghton’s new technology for aluminum acid etching, which improves upon conventional caustic etching and is formulated to provide a premium matte finish at low gloss values with minimum aluminum dissolution.
Compared to conventional caustic etching, Houghton’s revolutionary Acid Etch technology significantly reduces etch time, reduces waste sludge by over 50% and is performed at lower temperatures. This process provides a superior uniform matte finish which cannot be achieved with conventional methods. For aluminum extrusion customers, the technology is very effective in hiding extrusion lines and is not sensitive to zinc contamination.
“We are extremely proud of our Acid Etch technology and the value this innovation has created for our customers,” said Kyle Poyta, Houghton Global Director of Metal Finishing. “Every day our team is in the field listening to customers and providing solutions that help them improve their product quality and business performance. Houghton’s Acid Etch technology has revolutionized the etch process in the aluminum finishing industry.”
U.S. Patent No. 9,732,428 adds to Houghton International’s acid etching patent portfolio, which also includes U.S. Patent No. 8,518,286, U.S. Patent No. 8,252,195, Canadian Patent No. 2,618,915 and other pending applications. For more information about the full line of Houghto-EtchTM products, visit www.houghtonintl.com/en or call 610-666-0174 or toll free in the U.S. 888-459-9844.
Houghton Metal Finishing (HMF) is a division of Houghton International that specializes in providing a complete portfolio of proprietary solutions to the aluminum finishing and anodizing industries.
About Houghton International Inc.
Houghton International is a global leader in delivering advanced metalworking fluids and services for the automotive, aerospace, metals, mining, machinery, offshore and beverage industries. Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Houghton operates research, manufacturing and office locations in 33 countries around the world delivering solutions that increase productivity, reduce operating costs and improve product quality for our customers. Houghton International is a subsidiary of Gulf Oil International, which is owned by the Hinduja Group of Companies. Visit www.houghtonintl.com and www.twitter.com/houghtonintl.
