Our Finish First methodology enables world class design and manufacturing engineers to approach metal finishing challenges from the beginning, as an advantage in the design and prototyping stage.
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Learn why enhanced corrosion resistance is one of the most common reasons engineers across a variety of industries rely on electropolishing to finish their critical metal parts, especially for parts made of stainless steel. Three included case studies show the difference electropolishing makes.
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Electropolishing, with its ability to remove a microscopically precise layer of surface material with consistent results, is the finishing process of choice for such parts, for many reasons. Learn why electropolishing is more effective than other methods for removing burrs.
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Whether you are an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), a part manufacturer or a metal working shop looking to solve these common surface problems, it's critical to find a solution to adequately address these surface problems in a cost-effective method.
Download GuideAble Electropolishing is an approved provider of advanced metal finishing processes for national labs including Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Electropolishing is used by these labs to improve the microfinish of sensitive metal components while removing burrs and creating a passive surface.
In 2008, Able Electropolishing entered into a joint venture with Fermi National Accelerator Lab to develop a process for electropolishing a component for the International Linear Collider. The item was a single cell cavity made from niobium that needed electropolishing on the inside only. With the support of Fermi Lab, Able constructed a special research and development cell dedicated to developing the parameters and tooling necessary to electropolish this cavity.
Able engaged in a similar effort at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia. In a joint effort over two years, Able succeeded in electropolishing the ID only of the niobium weldment. The processing parameters developed for niobium were instrumental in further advances for electropolishing other inert alloys such as titanium and Nitinol.
We recently worked on another project with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. After fabricating stainless steel dryer vessels, the process specification called for electropolishing the vessel and components per ASTM B912. The engineers wanted to make sure that the surface finish was improved and that the parts were free of contaminants and in a passive state. After an audit by a quality engineer from Lawrence Livermore, we became one of only two approved vendors qualified to provide electropolishing for their lab. The dryer components Able electropolished were designed for use in the laboratory’s Laser Fusion Project.
Able has electropolished numerous parts made from stainless steel, aluminum and copper for use in the Advanced Photon Source electron accelerator at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois since 1994. More recently, we electropolished multiple sets of electrodes made from 304 SS to remove the iron embedded in the pores of the metal surface.
Compared to passivation alone, electropolishing is 30 times more effective for improving corrosion resistance. Send your samples for electropolishing and we will evaluate both finish and dimensional changes. If electropolishing is planned during the design stage, the material removal can be factored into your final size specifications.
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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…
