Method to create thin functional coatings on light alloys

A method for producing a coating, comprising:

• pre-treating a substrate;
• placing the substrate in a bath comprising at least phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid and anodizing the substrate to produce a thin anodized layer;
• rinsing the thin anodized layer in a solution;
• plating a surface of the thin anodized layer in a single electro deposition bath following a plating current profile for a predetermined period, wherein the plating current profile is selected as a percentage of a nominal plating current that is applied via a direct current or a pulsed direct current, wherein the plating current profile comprises ramping the plating current from 0 to between 0.1 amperes per square decimeter (A/dm2) and 2.0 A/dm2 for a first time period, then holding the plating current constant at a value between 0.1 A/dm2 and 2.0 A/dm2 for a second time period;
• and
• increasing the plating current from the value between 0.1 A/dm2 and 2.0 A/dm2 to a recommended bath plating current to produce the coating having a desired initial coating thickness.