Electropolishing

Produces a bright and microscopically smooth surface with improved cleaning, sterilization and corrosion resistance properties.

Our high quality electropolishing service offers a number of key benefits.

Our combination of experienced personnel and well defined processes allow us to provide electropolishing services quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.

Electropolishing offers these key benefits:

• A smooth and uniform surface - by leveling the material’s naturally occurring peaks. The process resembles electroplating except that a miniscule amount of material is removed rather than deposited. The amount of metal removed is typically only .0005 of an inch and can be held in strict tolerances.
• Improved cleanability - by providing exceptional release properties, which reduces residual product build up and decreases the amount of time required for clean up.
• Aids in the sterilization process - by eliminating the surface pits and crevices where microorganisms normally reside, while removing hydrogen used by bacteria to feed and multiply.
• Dramatically enhances the material’s corrosion resistance - by the formation of a layer of protective surface oxide that is rich in chromium.

The electropolishing process:

The part is immersed in an electrolyte and subjected to an electrical current. Surface projections are gently dissolved anodically, ion by ion, resulting in an extremely smooth finish. Unlike mechanical polishing, electropolishing does not incorporate foreign inclusions into the surface layer; any inclusions present from machining, stamping, etc. will be displaced during the process.

Pickle Passivation Increase the corrosion resistance with Pickle Passivation Stainless steel is naturally corrosion resistant due to the presence of a transparent surface layer, or film that forms on clean surfaces when exposed to the atmosphere or certain oxidizing conditions. Passivating the surface of the stainless in an acid mixture containing oxidizing agents improves and enhances the formation of this corrosion resistant layer. At Apache Stainless Equipment, we recommend "pickle passivation" over citric or nitric passivation as the final cleaning operation after all fabrication operations such as forming, welding, machining have been completed and after any mechanical cleaning operations. Our actual thermal controlled tank size is 21’ long x 74” deep x 70” wide for total immersion. We can accommodate larger pieces by double dipping or by acid recirculation.