text: Anodizing will raise the surface since the oxide created occupies more space than the base metal converted. This will generally not be of consequence except where there are tight tolerances. If so, the thickness of the anodizing layer has to be taken into account when choosing the machining dimension. A general practice on engineering drawing is to specify that "dimensions apply after all surface finishes". This will force the machine shop to take into account the anodization thickness when performing the final machining of the mechanical part before anodization. Also in the case of small holes threaded to accept screws, anodizing may cause the screws to bind, thus the threaded holes may need to be chased with a tap to restore the original dimensions. Alternatively, special oversize taps may be used to precompensate for this growth. In the case of unthreaded holes that accept fixed-diameter pins or rods, a slightly oversized hole to allow for the dimension change may be appropriate. Depending on the alloy and thickness of the anodized coating, the same may have a significantly negative effect on fatigue life. Conversely, anodizing may increase fatigue life by preventing corrosion pitting.