DAF-45, Designation System for Aluminum Finishes (Ninth Edition, January 2003, reaffirmed January 2009), outlines a system of designations for all types of finishes and coatings commonly applied to aluminum. The system gives each finish a short, unambiguous code, so that a mechanical finish, a chemical finish or an anodic coating can be specified on a drawing or purchase order without long descriptions. Examples of designations for mechanical and chemical finishes and for anodic coatings illustrate how the system is used, together with the definitions of the individual operations and the sequence in which they are applied. Designers, specifiers and finishers use the document to carry finish requirements accurately from drawing to quotation to production.