Electropolishing VS Mechanical Polishing

DALIAN, China - Feb. 21, 2022 - PRLog -- What Is Electropolishing?

Electropolishing is also called electrolytic polishing. This is a polishing process. Electropolishing electrochemically polishes metal parts. Electropolishing is a metal finishing process that can be performed on a variety of special and common alloys such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, nitinol, titanium, and more. This "reverse plating" process relies on rectified current and a phosphoric acid-based electrolyte to remove a layer of surface material from metal parts.

A current converted from alternating current to direct current at low voltage is applied to the part to remove the outer skin of the material. To complete the procedure and remove any remaining electrolyte, electropolishing specialists rinse and then dry the part.

After electropolishing a steel part, uneven "bumps" and "burrs" on the metal surface are leveled or removed. Electropolishing is also used to passivate and remove metal parts.

Electropolished parts have clean surfaces and are suitable for a variety of industrial applications including medical, food service, pharmaceutical, automotive and aerospace.

What Is Mechanical Polishing?

Mechanical polishing is the process of making the surface of a part smooth and shiny mechanically rather than chemically. When examining an unpolished part under a microscope, you can see visible "bumps" on the surface. After the part is polished, these "bumps" get smaller. Mechanical polishing is also the process of polishing with abrasives such as sandpaper. The process varies based on original part condition and finish requirements. This is a labor-intensive metal finishing process that is operator controlled and difficult to maintain consistently.
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