Our process, honed over seven decades of innovation and collaboration with engineers across industries, ensure the consistency, precision and quality that our customers need to meet the finish requirements of parts for critical applications – and the demands of a competitive marketplace.
Here is an overview of the Able Electropolishing process our customers rely on to ensure that their metal parts get to market quickly, cost-effectively, free of surface defects and with improved finish, fit and function.
We’ll set up a Teams call to review your part drawings and designs to confirm that electropolishing will meet your needs and work with your engineers to establish the parameters needed for the highest quality results.
Once we have established the specifications for your part, we move into Prototype Processing, where we test electropolishing on sample parts and do a thorough quality review. During this phase, we determine critical parameters like stock removal and racking techniques.
In this phase, we process a larger lot to replicate a full production scenario, ensuring everything—down to handling and packaging—is accurate and achieves the precise results required. It's a vital step for establishing quality control measures and for demonstrating consistency before moving to full-scale production.
Part specific steps include:
Our team is committed to the highest standards of metal finishing excellence at every step.
The design of mission critical parts comes with a long list of requirements. From safety to durability to regulatory compliance, no detail can be overlooked. That’s why world class engineers with OEMs in industries like aerospace, medical device and automotive – among others – appreciate the ability to consult with our metal finishing experts in the earliest stages of design.
When electropolishing is the finishing method of choice, for example, including it in the part specifications ensures that part design does not include any potential flaws that could impede finishing results. It also ensures that the microscopically precise layer of surface material that electropolishing removes is taken into consideration for any parts with tight tolerances.
At Able Electropolishing, our team can provide guidance as early as the design and prototyping stage to help establish the ideal finishing method and specifications to ensure the highest quality finish, fit and function for your parts.
Our suite of in-house services includes testing, analysis and reporting including 3D surface profiling, and elemental analysis for in-depth examination of part features, flaws and discontinuities. These services utilize state-of-the-art digital tools, including a scanning electron microscope, and can provide valuable insights for more complex applications.
We deliver the experience and speed that your business demands so you can get your products to market faster than your competition. From R&D guidance, education, and prototype testing on production equipment, we create tailored solutions that deliver the high-quality results you need for your customers, and your bottom line.
OEMs understand the opportunity cost associated with the impact delays present in bringing a product to market not to mention giving their competitors an advantage. But seldom do we look at the disruption this creates to current operations and the attention it draws away from more strategic work.
In the example below, let’s assume we are a medical device manufacturer and we have a metal finishing problem related to the part design. We have a requirement for electropolishing since we need to improve Ra by 50% and the surface must not allow bacteria to grow during surgeries. Since we did not engage expertise in metal finishing early in the process, we are behind schedule due to the inability for hospitals to properly rinse the part in production due to a design flaw.
We are now two months behind schedule. Below is a breakdown of the opportunity and resource costs associated with the delay.
Able will work with you and your team to develop parameters for your prototypes that result in a great finish for your product. Able will provide a shipping label and process your prototype at no cost.
Carbon steel is widely favored in manufacturing for its affordability, hardness and ability to undergo heat-treatment to increase durability. Used in gears, springs, and other critical metal parts, it’s known for versatility and reliability.
Precision and reliability are non-negotiable standards in the aerospace industry, where every component must meet strict requirements for performance, durability, and safety.
With the addition of a fourth-generation tabletop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Able’s state-of-the-art suite of analytic tools continues to grow to meet the requirements of high quality finishing for increasingly sophisticated metal parts.
Stainless steel alloys are prized by manufacturers across industries for their durability and corrosion resistance. Unfortunately, when free iron isn’t removed from the surface of stainless steel parts after machining or stamping, the inherent benefits of stainless alloys diminish: contaminated…
