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Electropolishing Frequently Asked Questions

As a pioneer of the electropolishing process over seven decades of innovation and collaboration with engineers in industries like aerospace and medical manufacturing, Able has grown to be the world’s largest electropolishing specialist.

Our ability to achieve microscopically precise and consistent results for a wide range of metal alloys, to customize our tooling, processes and chemistry, and to provide high-quality customer service at every stage of the process sets us apart from other providers.

To help you better understand our electropolishing process, we have provided some answers to frequently asked questions. Please contact us with any additional questions.

We provide electropolishing and nitric & citric passivation.

Yes. Our electropolishing and passivation processes have been validated in accordance with “Quality Management Systems-Process Validation Guidance” authored by SG3 and endorsed by The Global Harmonization Task Force.

Passivation is a chemical process designed to remove free iron and other contaminants from the part surface. Electropolishing is an electro-chemical process that removes surface metal which improves micro finish, provides deburring and adds to the aesthetics of your part.

Yes. We have the ability to electropolish titanium alloys.

Our headquarters and production facility are located at 2001, S. Kilbourn Ave., Chicago, IL. We are close to major highways and highly accessible from any direction.

Yes. The most commonly used specification is ASTM B912 which is titled, “Standard Specification for Passivation of Stainless Steels Using Electropolishing”. In addition, Able can meet or exceed many company specific specifications.

Yes. We are one of a select group of metal finishers with this certification for the medical device industry. We are also ISO 9001 certified.

We need a copy of the drawing, service needed, lot and annual quantities, process specification and packaging requirements.

Standard delivery is 3 to 5 working days after receipt of order. Next day and same day service is offered at an additional cost. Please contact our sales department for further details.

Yes. We can bulk electropolish stainless steel fasteners. Please contact our sales department for details.

No. Electropolishing provides a bright finish. To achieve a satin or dull finish, prior to electropolishing, the parts would need to be blasted with an aluminum oxide. We recommend submitting samples for approval.

Our dock is open Mon.-Fri., 7:00 AM-7:00 PM. Office hours are Mon.-Fri., 7:00 AM-5:00 PM

For best results, we recommend .0005” to .001” total removal (.00025” to .0005” per surface). To meet your requirements, we are capable of removing from .0002” to .003” total.

Yes. Customers typically send parts for deburring and micro finish improvement prior to plating. Read more...

The passivation process is a method of improving the corrosion resistance of stainless steel parts by removing ferrous contaminants like free iron from their surface, restoring them to their original corrosion specifications. Read more...

Machining stainless steel, especially 300 and 400 series stainless steel, can leave parts with a wide array of imperfections: microburrs, microcracks, free iron, stains, heat tint, oxide scale, and other surface defects that can compromise the fit, finish, function, and durability of stainless steel parts. Read more...

Electropolishing and passivation are very different processes, and to decide which is better for your needs, you should know what these differences are. Read more...

By submerging metal parts in an electrochemical bath, the electropolishing process dissolves a uniform layer of surface material. Read more...

Because the electropolishing process is used to remove many surface imperfections and embedded contaminants left behind by machining operations, it is frequently chosen as a final step in the manufacturing process. Read more...

When stainless steel parts are manufactured, they can be left with free iron and other foreign material embedded in the surface. Read more...

Titanium’s high tensile strength, natural corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and resistance to high temperatures make it a popular choice for medical, aerospace and marine applications. Read more...

Electropolishing is frequently chosen as a deburring operation, making it an ideal solution for improving blades post-grinding. Grinding operations can leave metal blades ragged, with jagged, uneven edges and burrs that can break off during use. Read more...

Electropolishing dental tools and implantable devices removes contaminants embedded in their surfaces, as well as the micro-imperfections that trap bacteria and become initiation sites for corrosion. Read more...

Though passivation can improve the corrosion resistance of stainless steel parts, manufacturing leaves behind many imperfections that passivation does not eliminate. Read more...

Contact us to learn more about electropolishing

Learn About the Electropolishing Difference


Electropolishing 101 Webinar

Electropolishing 101
Lunch & Learn Webinar

Learn everything you need to know about electropolishing as part of a private, interactive webinar. Let us know your availability and your part issues and our electropolishing experts can get you on our schedule. Lunch will be provided!

Schedule Your Private Webinar
Try Electropolishing for Free: Sample Request

Try Electropolishing for Free:
Sample Request

Send us your parts/prototypes and we’ll electropolish them for free – we’ll even pay for the shipping! Samples are processed in 24-48 hours.

Request a Sample

Medical Device Manufacturing

Medical Device Manufacturing

From implantable devices to surgical instruments, electropolishing is a single-process treatment that results in biocompatible, safe and ultra clean parts.

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Aerospace

Aerospace

We offer aerospace vendors and original equipment manufacturers our signature metal finishing services to increase fatigue-resistance for their metal parts, rendering them capable of withstanding the stress and corrosion that comes with long-term use.

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Pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical

Our strict adherence to industry standards ensures that pharmaceutical components are electropolished in accordance with ASTM B912 and ASME BPE specifications. These products are clean and smooth, corrosion resistant and contaminant free.

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Automotive

Automotive

Corrosion resistance and microfinish improvement are essential for critical automotive parts, making electropolishing an increasingly beneficial option for automakers.

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Consumer Appliance

Consumer Appliance

Our metal finishing services help increase corrosion resistance for these parts, and by removing the outermost layer of metal withelectropolishing the durability and longevity of these appliance components is increased.

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Food & Beverage

Food & Beverage

Electropolishing materials for this industry eliminates the buildup of bacterial biofilms, as well as keeping the equipment free of contaminants like Salmonella. Electropolishing delivers the level of sanitation required by a number of regulatory agencies.

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Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

From robotics to mobile equipment, the uses of electropolishing in the hydraulics and pneumatics industry are many. By helping prevent premature part failure, electropolishing reduces downtime and increases the life cycle of these components.

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Electronics

Electronics

Improving conductivity and performance is just one benefit electropolishing offers for electronics parts. The surface finish is improved by as much as 50%, removing imperfections from the material without material removal.

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Electropolishing, Passivation and Metal Surface Analytics Blog

Precision Finishing for Carbon Steel

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.

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AS9100:2016: Quality Assurance in Aerospace

Precision and reliability are non-negotiable standards in the aerospace industry, where every component must meet strict requirements for performance, durability, and safety.

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Metal Finishing Precision with JCM-7000 SEM

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.

Read More

Passivation for Stainless Steel 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…

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