An experimental set-up is presented that allows direct writing on a metal by local anodisation in a confined electrolyte volume. A scanning droplet cell with reference electrode and counter electrode is attached to an automated xyz stage and allows an efficient addressing of a small surface area. An automatic mode investigation of a material under systematic variation of formation parameters such as formation voltage, scan rate and potentiostatic or potentiodynamic formation mode is demonstrated. The influence of these parameters on the oxide film thickness and film properties are discussed. An example for the method of direct electrochemical oxide spot writing is given. The set-up can also be used in a manual mode to address a surface area of interest such as a pit, single grain, grain boundary or intermetallic inclusion. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.