Electro-Spec’s electropolishing services deburr, smooth, and brighten 304 and 316 stainless steel, copper, and copper alloys with a process built to hold the same result from the first part to the last.
Electropolishing Services Capabilities
Electropolishing Indiana
| Materials | 304 and 316 stainless steel Copper and copper alloys |
| Part Size Range | 0.5 sq in to 1 sq ft |
| Typical Material Removal | 0.0001” to 0.0002” |
| Standard Turnaround Time | 5 business days |
Benefits of Electropolishing
Process-Controlled Consistency
Results remain consistent from part 1 and part 1,000 of an electropolishing cycle, whereas bright dip results can drift from the beginning to the end of a batch
Safer, More Environmentally Friendly Process
No nitric acid and no heavy exhaust system is required, making for a safer shop floor and lighter environmental footprint
Electro-Spec’s Proven Finishing Expertise
Your parts are in the hands of a team with consistent success in high-quality finishing for parts from the world’s most demanding industries
What Is Electropolishing?
Electropolishing is a subtractive electrochemical process in which the part is connected to the positive terminal of a DC power supply and submerged in an acid bath, the reverse of how standard electroplating works. Current concentrates on microscopic high points on the surface and dissolves them faster than the low points, leveling the part into a smooth, uniform finish without adding material.
How electropolishing affects a part:
- Removes burrs, machining marks, and heat scale
- Smooths and brightens the surface without plating on top of it
- Leaves a surface that’s harder for contaminants and bacteria to grip
Electropolishing Services for Stainless Steel Finishing
For 304 and 316 stainless steel, electropolishing removes the microscopic burrs and heat-scale blemishes remaining from the machining process, giving the part a smoother, more cleanable surface than mechanical polishing alone can achieve.
Electropolishing is often specified for:
- Parts headed for sanitation-critical environments, including food processing and lab equipment
- Welded assemblies where the weld needs to blend into one smooth surface
- Parts where hand polishing or tumbling has hit its limit
Electropolishing Services for Copper & Copper Alloys
On copper and copper alloys, electropolishing is often a step before plating rather than the final finish. Because it strips surface roughness, electropolishing improves plating adhesion and extends wear life, ideal for parts like connector contacts that must perform through thousands of insertion cycles.
The benefits of electropolishing for copper include:
- Removes surface roughness before nickel, gold, or other plating
- Improves wear resistance and cycle life in connector and contact applications
- Leaves copper more resistant to oxidation, even before any secondary coating is applied
Electropolishing vs. Bright Dip
Bright dip is a typically nitric acid-based soak used to remove heat scale and burrs. Because there is no electrical current behind it, results drift as the solution ages. Electropolishing uses a controlled electrochemical cycle instead, so there is no drift in results even for large batches. Also, because electropolishing does not require nitric acid, it makes for a safer process on the shop floor and a lighter environmental footprint.
Electropolishing vs. Passivation
Passivation and electropolishing both improve a stainless steel part’s resistance to corrosion, but they work differently and fit different applications. For a closer look at when to specify each process, read our technical article on passivation vs. electropolishing.