Electropolishing

Stainless Restoration Ltd are able to offer an Electropolishing service to the stainless steel fabrication / manufacturing industries. The Electropolishing work we undertake cuts across all market sector types from small casting and component manufacturers to fabrications for the food industry to more sophisticated items such as vessels for the pharmaceutical sector. A procedure is available for the electropolishing work, however, it is based upon our own in-house specification.

Electropolishing Process

By applying a direct current of electricity to the item to be Electropolished whilst immersed in an electrolyte solution, metal is subsequently removed , leaving a smoothed surface that optimises the corrosion resistance of the steel in any given environment. 

Electropolishing uses low voltages of between 6 and 18 volts, but with high currents of between 750 and 3000 amps.  Electrolytes used are usually mixtures of phosphoric and sulphuric acids. 

The process encourages special disbanding of the “peaks” or high spots on the surface of the work piece.  Contamination and debris left from mechanical surface treatments is also removed by Electropolishing. 

The result of this process being that the surface becomes brightly polished and much smoother without affecting the quality of the material so treated.

Electropolishing Advantages

• Bright and aesthetically pleasing
• Chemically passive
• Surface roughness reduced, smoother surface and less micro cracks
• Corrosion resistance improved due to the enrichment of a chromium oxide layer
• Reduced bacterial growth, easier cleaning due to less build up of product on the surface of the material

To appease any concerns you may have regarding the quality of our workmanship we invite sample or trial batches for your inspection.