Electropolishing is a metal finishing process that removes steel and free irons from 200, 300, 400, Al6xn, Duplex’s and Inconel series stainless steel, as well as from 17-4 and 15-5 stainless steel. The process brings the nickel and chrome to the surface of the product or part – providing a passive part with a mirror finish.
Our proprietary electropolishing process is accomplished with a series of wet processing steps using specially designed tanks that is similar to electroplating and anodizing. The parts to be polished are mounted on a rack or jig that is moved from tank to tank. The three major process steps of the electropolishing system are as follows:
We remove all oils, lubricants, shop dirt, oxides, fingerprints, and any other contaminants from the surface of the part. Different methods we use include vapor degreasing, solvent immersion, alkaline or acid soak cleaning, spray washing, abrasive blasting, wire brushing, as well as other types of mechanical finishing steps.
We smooth, brighten, deburr, passivate, improve surface profile, stress relief, hygienically clean, reduce friction, and increase corrosion resistance.
We remove chemical residues or by-products of the electropolishing process to assist in drying.
Parts are then moved to our modern clean room to finish the drying process.
Most mechanical finishing systems can smear, bend, or stress the metal surface to achieve a smooth polished surface. In severe cases it might fracture the metals surface. Our stainless steel electropolishing removes metal from the surface leaving no surface pattern. It is free from occlusions and stress, leaving it highly reflective and microscopically smooth.
A truly superior benefit of electropolishing is that bacteria cannot multiply on a surface that has been electropolished because electropolishing makes the part devoid of hydrogen and the surface will show no directional lines.
Electropolishing is used in a variety of industries, just to name a few:
