Electropolishing Overview

Electropolishing is an electrochemical polishing process that removes surface imperfections including impurities, burrs, and other defects. The reverse plating process creates a smooth surface on metal objects that is microscopically featureless. This type of metal finishing process leaves parts ultraclean, micro-finished, and corrosion protected. The Electropolishing process can be done on stainless steel and other metal alloys.

Electropolishing is a reverse plating process. Parts are fixtured onto a special rack or basket and then lowered into a specially blended chemical bath. Electrical current is then applied to the part. Instead of adding material to the surface like electropolating we are removing material at a controlled rate to smooth out imperfections such as impurities, burrs, and other defects. The electropolishing process is monitored and refined to remove metal uniformly to customer specifications allowing great benefit such as ultracleaning, microfinishing, and corrosion protection. Our general electropolishing process baths are specified to ASTM B912-00. Need more information about electropolishing stainless steel? Check out "What is Electropolishing?" to learn more!


Electropolishing Stainless Steel Services & Processes

How Does Electropolishing Work?

Electropolishing and mechanical polishing works by submerging parts in a chemical bath and applying an electrical current to the part. The electrical current causes a chemical reaction that smooths the surface of the part by removing an extremely thin layer of metal that levels the surface’s micro-peaks and valleys. Monitoring and refining the electropolish process allows the metal to be removed in a uniformed manner exactly to customer specifications.

Why Electropolishing Services?

Electropolishing stainless steel, and all electropolishing services, offer a wide variety of benefits over mechanical metal finishing counterparts. While conventional stainless-steel finishing can smear, bend, stress, or fracture the metal surface during the metal polishing process, electropolishing’s unidirectional pattern removes metal defects from the surface in a stress and occlusion-free method. The electropolish process leaves many ferrous and nonferrous metals microscopically smooth, highly reflective and completely passive imparting superior rust and corrosion resistance. Contact us today to learn more about our electropolishing services, and electropolishing stainless steel.

Another benefit of electropolishing stainless steel and electropolishing services, as opposed to conventional metal finishing, is that the process both micro-polishes and macro-polishes surfaces. The micro-polishing gives the surface brightness, while the macro-polishing ensures smoothness.

The oxygen rich chemical bath the parts are placed in during the electropolish process removes hydrogen from the metal’s surface, protecting against hydrogen embrittlement. This makes electropolishing the ideal metal finishing for medical, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries, as no directional lines and a hydrogen free surface provide an ultraclean, hygienic surface reducing or eliminating bacteria and corrosion sites.

 

What are the benefits of Electropolishing services?

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