All our strip drains are manufactured from 316L Grade Marine Stainless Steel. To add the perfect finish to our drains, we use specialist equipment to electropolish the stainless steel to eliminate burrs and uneven surfaces to produce a superior surface finish.
What is Electropolishing?
Electropolishing¹, also known as
- electrochemical polishing
- anodic polishing
- or electrolytic polishing,
Is a process we use to reduce the roughness of the surface of our stainless steel drain products. It polishes and deburrs the surface of the metal, used in place of abrasive fine polishing, as a superior result is achieved.
How does it work?
The electrolyte solution is usually made from Sulphuric and Phosphoric acids and is high in viscosity.
For this process to achieve a superior polish, the protruding parts that need to be removed must dissolve faster than the main body of the metal.
Benefits
The benefits of using electropolishing for stainless strip drains are:
- Ease of polishing irregular shapes
- Large surface areas can be polished simultaneously
- Aesthetically pleasing result
- Creates a clean smooth surface
- Passivation for Stainless Steel
Conclusion
The electropolish process creates a superior finish for stainless steel drains, and offers ease of polishing complex shapes such as a wedge-wire strip drain.
Electropolished finishes offer a better result than abrasive polishing, due to the efficiency of the electrolyte process. It removes microscopic surface peaks using an electrolytic bath rather than abrasive media. The result is a smoother, denser surface that resists corrosion and cleans more easily than mechanically polished steel. For wet commercial environments, that difference in surface quality is worth specifying.
To discuss your project contact our knowledgeable sales team today.
Written by Greg Wallis
Manager, Strip Drains and Alumac Industries
Greg is a skilled business management and product design professional with years of hands-on experience. Greg has designed myriad innovative metal building products that blend quality, craftsmanship and architectural design for the building and construction industry.