Electropolishing Aluminum and Stainless Steel Specification

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Electropolishing About and Definition

Electropolishing Stainless Steel

Electropolishing , also known as electrochemical polishing or electrolytic polishing (especially in the metallography field), is an electrochemical process that removes material from a metallic workpiece. It is used to polish , passivate , and deburr metal parts. It is often described as the reverse of electroplating . It may be used in lieu of abrasive fine polishing in microstructural preparation.

Process electrolytically removes or diminishes scratches, burrs and unwanted sharp edges from most 300 and 400 series stainless steel alloys.  Finishes from satin to mirror-bright are produced by controlling time, temperature, or both.  Check with finishing vendor for typical in house process and actual results.

(No MILSpec) Typical material removal: 0.0001 - 0.0004" .

Electropolishing Applications

Electropolishing has many applications in the metal finishing industry because of its simplicity and it can be applied to objects of complex shape. Typical examples are electropolished stainless steel drums of washing machines and stainless steel surgical devices. Electropolishing is also commonly applied to the preparation of thin metal samples for transmission electron microscopy because electropolishing does not cause mechanical deformation of surface layers usually observed when mechanical polishing is used. Ultra high vacuum (UHV) components are typically electropolished in order to have a smoother surface for improved vacuum pressures, outgassing rates, and pumping speed.

Electropolishing Aluminum (Bright Dipping)

Electropolishing aluminum will produce a  bright finish as well as  level and deburr edges and surfaces. Typically the aluminum work piece is dipped within a bath solution where the aluminum part are electrically anodic.  The solution bath is agitated to ensure a high quality finish.