Electropolishing TheBenefitsOfElectropolishing
Electropolishing TheBenefitsOfElectropolishing
Electropolishing TheBenefitsOfElectropolishing
CONTENTS
01
TECHNICAL SUMMARY
03
05
INVESTMENT CASTING
07
PHOTOCHEMICAL MACHINING
09
11
14
3D PRINTING
15
LASER CUTTING
17
METAL STAMPING
19
WHAT IS ELECTROPOLISHING?
TECHNICAL SUMMARY
When speed to market is critical, electropolishing offers the necessary
part enhancements needed in the final step of production.
Since the development of electropolishing in the 1950s, substantial refinements have taken
place. Able has many electrolytes to allow for electropolishing on a broad range of metals.
These newer electrolytes, combined with advanced parts handling techniques, have improved
production yields on a wide range of metal products.
Able specializes in providing electropolishing services for a variety of common and specialty
metal alloys. Here is a partial list of alloys we can electropolish:
Specialty Alloys
Tool Steels
Nickel Alloys
Aluminum
Specialty Steels
Titanium
Carbon Steels
Nitinol
Copper Alloys
Figure 1
PAGE 02
// ALLOYS WE ELECTROPOLISH
// HOW IT WORKS
More recently, electropolishing has been utilized in many prototyping methods, including
investment casting, photochemical machining, injection molding, laser cutting, metal stamping,
3D printing, direct metal laser sintering and electrical discharge machining. Following the
electropolishing process, metal parts have improved microfinish value, an ultraclean surface
and enhanced corrosion resistance.
While the process is best known for the bright polish left on a
surface, there are some important, often overlooked, benefits
of this metal finishing method. These benefits include deburring, size control, microfinish improvement, ultraclean finishing,
corrosion resistance and others. These metal improvement
benefits are highly desirable to design and production engineers for cost savings and product lifespan improvement.
TECH SUMMARY
PAGE 01
// WHAT IT DOES
Figure 2
Figure 3
// ULTRACLEANING
Electropolishing can be used in conjunction with other traditional
mechanical finishing methods to leave the part clean and free of surface
contamination. Most notably, electropolished parts have an ultraclean
finish free of lingering surface impurities, such as oils, embedded scale,
debris and more.
// DECORATIVE FINISH
Many DMLS parts have complex shapes that are difficult to polish. Electropolishing can provide a clean, bright finish in difficult to access areas
of complex, customized geometries. After undergoing electropolishing
treatments, metal parts have a noticeably bright, shiny appearance that
cannot be achieved using traditional metal finishing methods.
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
Surfaces with heavy contamination often do not respond well to
passivation treatments alone. These parts require more aggressive
metal finishing methods, like electropolishing, to enhance their corrosion
resistance.
By eliminating embedded contaminants and surface imperfections,
electropolishing provides 30 times greater corrosion resistance than
passivation alone. Electropolishing can also be performed on almost
any metal alloy, making it a desired method for DMLS prototyped parts.
PAGE 04
CASE STUDY
THE BENEFITS
Sintered Part
PAGE 03
Before Electropolishing
After Electropolishing
// THE PROBLEM
// THE SOLUTION
INVESTMENT CASTING
THE BENEFITS
// DECORATIVE FINISH
After investment casting has been completed,
prototyped parts exhibit a dull finish.
// THE PROBLEM
// THE SOLUTION
The parts were sent through various blasting and passivation operations with no positive results. Ultimately, the client
decided to have electropolishing performed on the parts.
|
PAGE 06
CASE STUDY
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
For prototypes with custom shapes, such as those
created through investment casting, corrosion
resistance is the utmost importance.
INVESTMENT CASTING
PAGE 05
// ULTRACLEANING
Before Electropolishing
After Electropolishing
CASE STUDY
// THE PROBLEM
The customer was looking to improve the finish of stainless
discs with critical holes manufactured by photochemical
Before Electropolishing
// THE SOLUTION
Electropolishing not only left the parts with an ultra clean,
bright finish, but it also rounded the edges of the critical
holes in the parts.
// DEBURRING/RADIUSING EDGES
During the electropolishing process, the transfer of metal ions occurs
more rapidly on corners or edges. Properly controlled electropolishing
can remove burrs and radius edges of complex or fragile parts that are
not well suited for tumbling or vibratory finishing.
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
To ensure parts last well into the future, they must have exceptional
resistance to oxidation. Electropolishing removes the outer layer of metal
and its embedded contaminants, improving the corrosion resistance for
photochemical machined parts. After parts have been electropolished,
they have a smooth surface that greatly reduces the possibility for
corrosion sites.
After Electropolishing
PAGE 08
// MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT
THE BENEFITS
PHOTOCHEMICAL MACHINING
PAGE 07
PHOTOCHEMICAL
MACHINING
THE BENEFITS
// DEBURRING/RADIUSING EDGES
// MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT
The customer was looking for a way to improve the surface finish of
critical sealing surfaces in an automotive application. Mechanically
polishing the small, hard to reach features of the high volume item would
not be cost effective or consistent.
Electropolishing was suggested as a solution. Extensive testing was
performed on the parts by the end-user to pinpoint an appropriate
Ra value on the surface of the lips to ensure a proper seal in order to
minimize leakage and maximize effectiveness and longevity of the
system. Through a series of sample lots, the correct amount of material
removal was determined to maximize improvement on the critical
sealing surfaces.
// THE SOLUTION
Decreasing roughness average values and improving microfinish directly
correlates to more functional, longer lasting sealing surfaces.
PAGE 10
// THE PROBLEM
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
CASE STUDY
PAGE 09
METAL INJECTION
MOLDING
THE BENEFITS
// MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT
Electropolishing can eliminate contaminants and burrs on metal parts.
By removing the outer skin of material, electropolishing removes the recast
layer to give the part a smoother surface and eliminates anomalies.
Electropolished parts have a decreased likelihood for defects such as
micro cracks, which, in turn, can effectively extend the life of the parts.
Before Electropolishing
// THE SOLUTION
Electropolishing provided a controlled removal that created
a microfinished surface area, which aided in solving both of
these problems.
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
Unlike conventional methods of passivation, electropolishing removes
the outer layer of metal and embedded surface contaminants. Electropolishing can eliminate embedded impurities by removing material in a
uniform fashion, creating a smooth surface with improved corrosion
resistance for metal alloys, including stainless steel, aluminum, copper,
brass and carbon steel. While all of these alloys are more resistant, we
do not routinely recommend electropolishing as a substitute for coatings
designed to protect a metal part in harsh environments.
After Electropolishing
PAGE 12
// ULTRACLEANING
// THE PROBLEM
CASE STUDY
PAGE 11
ELECTRICAL
DISCHARGE MACHINING
3D PRINTING
// ULTRACLEANING
// MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
Conventional methods of passivation are often not sufficient to improve corrosion resistance for 3D printed parts.
3D printing is achieved using an additive manufacturing process, where successive layers of material
are laid down in different shapes. 3D printing is often used in numerous industries for prototyping for
its advantages over traditional methods.
3D printed parts may have burred edges or possible corrosion sites that
can be removed through electropolishing.
3D printing allows companies to produce parts in small numbers without expensive short-run costs,
enabling them to make prototypes on demand. Design changes can also be made quickly and easily
because there are no tooling or machining constraints.
PAGE 14
3D PRINTING
PAGE 13
THE BENEFITS
LASER CUTTING
As the laser guides its beam along the
material, everything in its direct path
is vaporized, burned or melted.
THE BENEFITS
// MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT
// ULTRACLEANING
Untreated metal parts are often riddled with harmful contaminants that
create safety and sanitation issues and could even impact part performance.
To solve these issues, parts can be electropolished for a bright, ultraclean
finish free of oils, residual dust and other foreign debris.
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
Laser-cut parts have embedded contaminants and other surface impurities.
Without being subjected to a secondary finishing operation, these metal
parts could be susceptible to harmful corrosion. After electropolishing, lasercut parts will have improved corrosion resistance.
// EDGE RADIUS/DEBURRING
Laser cutting often leaves parts with sharp edges. To radius these edges,
parts can be submitted for electropolishing. Electropolished parts exhibit
smoother edges free of harmful burrs that could compromise their integrity
and longevity.
// THE PROBLEM
The customer was looking for a way to radius the
edges of a laser cut part before forming. The parts
are used in an appliance application and require
rounded edges to prevent injury to employees
during part handling.
// THE SOLUTION
PAGE 16
Metal parts can greatly benefit from the microfinish improvements electropolishing provides. During the electropolishing process, a concentration of
current causes a leveling action and reduces microscopic peaks. This, in
turn, enhances the parts microfinish and helps extend the life of the part.
CASE STUDY
LASER CUTTING
PAGE 15
Laser cutting is a precise method for creating a design from a given material using a CAD
file to guide it. The process uses a high-powered light beam to cut material based on
computer-controlled parameters.
METAL STAMPING
THE BENEFITS
CASE STUDY
Used in a variety of industries such as agriculture, aerospace, medical and automotive, parts manufactured using
metal stamping can be produced at a very high rate.
// MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT
To improve the surface finish of metal-stamped
parts, many companies will submit them for electropolishing, which is better suited for fragile parts
than grinding or lapping. Removing .001 (.0005
per surface) of surface material from a part can
reduce its microfinish values by approximately 50%.
// CORROSION RESISTANCE
Metal-stamped parts that receive passivation
treatments or no metal finishing at all can be
susceptible to corrosion.
Electropolishing can successfully reduce these
initiation sites, keeping the parts smooth and free
of surface contaminants.
After Electropolishing
// THE PROBLEM
// THE SOLUTION
In the case of this particular part, we were able to electropolish removing .0002-.0004 of material from the thickness,
creating a clean, bright and passive surface. As a result of
electropolishing, the microfinish and corrosion resistance
were also improved.
PAGE 18
Before Electropolishing
// DEBURRING/RADIUSING EDGES
METAL STAMPING
PAGE 17
Metal stamping can be applied to a variety of alloys for a number of applications. The
process involves the placement of sheet metal into a press where a tool and die surface
forms the metal into the desired shape.
ABLE ELECTROPOLISHING
Production and engineering breakthroughs achieved during WWII led to new and
exciting metal finishing technologies as industry shifted from the war economy.
Our founder, Zen Pokvitis, was on the leading edge of those developments and
focused his chemical background on production applications for electropolishing. That experience in chemical formulation and equipment design led to the
founding of Able Electropolishing Company in 1954, which began focusing on
the needs of metalworking companies nationally.
Able continues to make large investments in our facility to make sure we are
in compliance with the stringent environmental guidelines now being enforced
by federal, state and local regulatory agencies. Our investment in practices that
support environmental sustainability means were ready to serve our customers
today and in the future.
Passivation
Contract Cleaning
Titanium Color Anodizing
Laser Engraving
Bake Out
Custom Packaging
AMS 2700
ASTM A967
ASME BPE
ASTM B912
ASTM A380
ASTM F86
PAGE 20
OTHER SERVICES
WE PROVIDE
// INDUSTRY STANDARDS
PAGE 19
ABOUT US
E: SALES@ABLEELECTROPOLISHING.COM
P: 888.868.2900