SS Electro Bright is the world leader for various metal finishing treatments. Many companies submit their carbon steel parts for electro polishing to improve the fit and function. Following the electro polishing treatment, parts are debarred and have a smoother, bright finish for CARBON STEEL
Contact us to learn more about our electro polishing services for carbon steels and ask to submit a sample.
| CARBON / TOOL / SPECIALTY STEELS | COMMENT |
| 12L14 | Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| 1215 | Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| Ledloy | Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| 1095 | Excellent, Chrome-like Finish After Electropolishing |
| 1080 | Excellent, Chrome-like Finish After Electropolishing |
| 1075 | Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| Music Wire (1095) | Material Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| Aluminized Steel | Bright Chrome-Like Finish After Electropolishing |
| Manganese Steel | Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| MAR-Aging | Excellent Finish Chrome-Like After Electropolishing |
| Vanadium | Good Satin Finish After Electropolishing |
| Core Iron | Bright But Grainy Finish After Electropolishing |
| Stellite 6B | Bright But Grainy Finish After Electropolishing |
| Nitralloy 135 | Good Finish After Electropolishing |
| S-7 Tool Steel | Excellent Finish After After Electropolishing |
| M-2 Tool Steel | Gray, Satin Finish After Electropolishing |
| M-4 Tool Steel | Excellent Finish After After Electropolishing |
| CPM M-4 Tool Steel | Satin Finish After Electropolishing |
| Hiperco 50 | Excellent Finish, Similar to 316 SS |
| Magnetic Iron | Good Finish After Electropolishing |
| 105 Chrome Silicon Steel | Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| 1117 Stressproof Steel | Excellent, Chrome-like Finish After Electropolishing |
| NAK 55 | Bright Finish After Electropolishing |
| P20 Tool Steel | Bright, Excellent Finish After Electropolishing |
| Invar | Excellent Finish After After Electropolishing |
| Vadnais 4 | Looks Like 440C SS After E.P. Gray, Uniform Color |
| QRO-90 (Like H-13 Tool Stl) | Excellent, Chrome-like Finish After Electropolishing |
| L605 | Looks Like 440C SS After E.P. Gray, Uniform Color |
| Vascomax 300 | Bright Finish After Electropolishing |
| H-13 | Excellent, Chrome-like Finish After Electropolishing |
| A-2 | Good Bright Finish After Electropolishing |
Contact us to learn more about carbon steel electropolishing
Electro polishing is used to improve surface finish and enhance corrosion resistance, enabling critical metal parts to perform better and last longer.
Here are some best practices for engineers and manufacturers to use in providing specifications for their part requirements.
Including thorough specifications on your drawings is the best way to ensure the consistently high-quality finish of your parts.
When specifying electro polishing, there are four main areas to address:
1. MATERIAL REMOVAL AND DESIRED SURFACE FINISH
Before submitting a part to be electro polished, engineers need to have an idea of how much of the surface material can be removed without impacting the part’s intended function. This will vary depending on the application of the part itself, the part-specific size tolerances and the alloy. In some cases, the amount that can be removed is very minimal (.0001” per surface) and must stay within prescribed size ranges.
The SS Electro Bright process includes the ability to control tolerances up to +/- .0001” per surface.
Specifications should also include the desired part finish so that we can also tailor material removal based on the application and part-specific requirements, with a controlled, flexible process that ensures that the surface finish adheres precisely to the results you are seeking.
Micro finish improvement, for example, requires a minimum of .00025” per surface total material removal from a part. Microdeburring may require more removal. Both the desired amount of surface material to be removed and the ideal surface finish should be included when specifying the electro polishing process on a drawing.
Examples of material removal specifications by application include:
2. FIXTURING LOCATION AND CRITICAL AREAS
Identifying the critical areas of the part helps determine how to fixture the parts correctly. During the electro polishing process, parts are fixture on custom racks and submerged into an electrolytic bath.
Some parts, especially when it comes to parts that need to retain a sharp edge, require extra care when it comes to the featuring positioning. For example, parts that need to retain a sharp edge can be fixture to ensure optimal results for part functionality.
If aesthetics are key, engineers can identify the critical areas to help prevent visible fixturing witness marks. In addition to establishing other key parameters, SS’s sample electro polishing process can also help determine the most effective location for fixturing.
3. ESTABLISHED COMPANY OR INDUSTRY SPECS
Companies that already have process specifications for electropolishing will either use industry or company-specific specifications. These standards should be included when requesting a quote to ensure that Able can meet the specification and provide the required finishing results. ASTM B912 is the most commonly used electropolishing specification. Like most specifications, this is not part specific but is used as a guideline for part processing.
4. PACKAGING NEEDS
Packaging plays a critical role in protecting the finish of your parts.
The SS Electro Bright team has decades of expertise in providing the highest quality finishing results from start to finish and can provide consultation around the best packaging for your parts. Our process is built around a “Finish First” approach in which the end results –including packaging – are factored into specifications as early as the prototyping stage. By indicating the final packaging needs on drawings for electropolished parts, manufacturers can guarantee their parts arrive undamaged and meet customer expectations.
TRUST YOUR MISSION CRITICAL PARTS TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST ELECTROPOLISHING SPECIALIST
At SS Electro Bright, we pioneered the process of electropolishing critical metal parts, and our processes have been honed in collaboration with industries with no room for error. Our processes are built around quality control protocols that begin with the end result in mind.
Our free sample process, Finish First methodology and technical review sessions ensure that your results are precisely tailored, consistently achieved, and exactly aligned to the specifications and results you need.
Reach out to our team to take advantage of our processing for ensuring the highest quality results for your parts and you’ll learn why so many of the world’s leading companies rely on SS Electro Bright for their mission critical parts.