The ability to successfully anodise titanium is in itself uncommon, but to do this without using aggressive surface preparation acids is particularly unusual. Tecan has achieved this without resorting to standard preparation solutions which contain non-dilute hydrofluoric and sulphuric acids. Instead, the company has developed a proprietary method based on alkaline solutions which successfully pre-etches titanium parts prior to anodising, while effectively protecting both its staff and the environment.