Advancements in Metal Finishing Technologies Metal finishing usually involves coating to enhance the surface, referred to as the substrate in metal finishing. Surface improvement technologies can include polishing, cleaning, and electroplating, where metal ions are deposited onto the substrate using an electrical current. Various industries utilize a range of metal finishing methods, including anodization, bead… Read more »
Comparing Different Metal Finishing Methods for Durability & Aesthetics
Metal finishing methods are used to alter the surfaces of metals and alloys to make them more resistant to rust and other corrosion, along with providing other properties that prolong the life of the part or product. Additionally, metal finishing methods enhance the appearance of a product through the removal of burrs and other exterior… Read more »
The Art of Tumbling: A Comprehensive Guide to Metal Finishing
In many ways, the tumbling process for metal finishing is an art, as it makes metal components and other smaller workpieces look more appealing. But just like with other finishing methods, it’s not just about making parts look pretty. There are numerous practical reasons manufacturers use a metal tumbling process. For metal, such finishing also… Read more »
The Importance of the Quality Management Process for Metal Finishing
Metal finishing shops with an effective quality management process that ensures consistency and excellence in their work tend to outperform competitors with less stringent controls, resulting in a superior product. A well-designed quality management system (QMS) in turn requires a framework like ISO 9000, which focuses on the documentation of processes to ensure the quality… Read more »
Vibratory vs High-Energy Tumbling: Which Should You Use?
Both vibratory and high-energy tumble-finishing processes provide easy and inexpensive ways to improve parts en masse after fabrication. Tumbling stainless steel and aluminum parts – as well as components made from other alloys, metals and even plastics – is both an economical and easy means for finishing them. Each tumbling process for metals, alloys or… Read more »
RP Abrasives Blog – 5 Tips for Outsourcing Passivation of Stainless Steel
Passivation is a chemical process that helps stainless steel surfaces resist rust and other types of corrosion. Consisting of washing, rinsing and soaking stainless steel parts in an acid solution, the finishing process alone entails multiple rinses. Unlike coatings, nothing is applied to the surface of a workpiece. Rather, it’s a process used to remove… Read more »
A Complete Guide to Understanding ASTM Standards
Towards the end of the 19th century, the United States depended on a rail network that linked different parts of the country together. Yet a wave of rail accidents during this period disrupted commerce and travel, threatening to curb the economic growth of the emerging industrial giant. In 1898, scientists and engineers working for the… Read more »
Why Is Passivating Stainless Steel Necessary?
The identification of chromium around the turn of the 19th century led to it becoming the key ingredient in an iron-based alloy used widely today. In the mid-1800s, it was found that chromium, when combined with iron, caused the metal to be both more formable and durable. This made it an ideal additive for steel… Read more »
Advantages of Custom Metal Finishing for Fabrication Projects
As the final step in the fabrication process, custom metal finishing prepares metal products or components for their designed purpose. This process provides many advantages, such as ensuring better resistance to corrosion or chemicals. Custom metal finishing also improves the specific properties of metal workpieces, making them more durable. Choosing the right finish for a… Read more »
How Do You Passivate with Citric Acid?
Citric passivation involves treating metal surfaces in an acid solution to make them better resist corrosion. As an iron-based alloy, stainless steel contains iron, nickel and chromium, with corrosion resistance due primarily to its chromium content. When exposed to oxygen in the air, chromium forms a thin layer of chromium oxide, which coats stainless steel… Read more »