Electropolishing Service for Titanium Alloys

Titanium Microdeburring & Microfinishing Before & After

Titanium is just one of the many alloys we treat at Able Electropolishing. The electropolishing process makes titanium parts last longer and perform better. Titanium’s natural resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, as well as its high tensile strength and biocompatibility, make it a popular alloy in aerospace, medical and marine applications. By electropolishing titanium parts, we improve performance while maintaining the properties that make this alloy unique.

Benefits of Electropolishing Titanium

Electropolishing titanium improves the alloy’s natural corrosion resistance and biocompatibility by performing several operations at once. Titanium polishing by means of electropolishing provides the following benefits:

  • Corrosion Resistance: electropolishing titanium removes the outer skin of metal, eliminating micro-surface imperfections that could become initiation sites for corrosion. Learn more >
  • Microfinishing: by removing 001” to .002” material from the thickness or diameter of a part you will improve the Ra value by as much as 50%. Since the electropolishing process is a rack process, it is compatible with fragile parts that don’t lend themselves to conventional finishing methods. Able’s electropolishing process will not distort or change the shape of your part which is not the case with mass finishing. Learn more >
  • Deburring: titanium parts used in medical applications must be burr-free. Electropolishing medical devices is an effective deburring operation that leaves the surface free of micro-imperfections that can otherwise impede performance. Learn more >
  • Ultracleaning: electropolishing titanium medical devices and other parts made from this alloy removes residual debris and other embedded contaminants. This comprehensive cleaning operation is used for critical implantable medical devices like dental and surgical implants, which must be bacteria-free before use. For highly visible metal parts, like surgical tools, it also creates a clean, bright and decorative surface. Learn more >

Due to the multiple benefits of electropolishing, it is a more effective and versatile process than passivation and other traditional titanium polishing processes alone. You’ll see the difference with the improved fit and function with the electropolished parts that have undergone sufficient deburring, ultracleaning, and microfinishing.

The Titanium Polishing Process Through Electropolishing

Titanium electropolishing is an electrochemical process that removes a controlled amount of surface material from the outer layer of a part. Removing this material eliminates surface imperfections, embedded contaminants, sharp edges and burrs, and micro cracks and pits that could lead to corrosion. The surface it leaves behind is smooth, highly corrosion resistant and free of the imperfections that compromise strength and longevity. Electropolished titanium parts are also left with a distinct and lasting shine ideal for consumer products.

Sizing Titanium with Electropolishing

Titanium is frequently used to make parts with little-to-no margin of error, like landing gear, hydraulic systems, rotors, valves and more. When parts like these are even a small fraction of an inch out of tolerance, they are unusable. Electropolishing titanium is an ideal sizing operation that allows you to bring a part into size with precision and without altering shape or proportions. Because the process removes a uniform amount of surface metal from the entire part, it is practical even for small and complex parts. This process can remove as little as .0001″, giving you a high level of control and ensuring that your parts are sized according to your needs.

Electropolishing vs. Passivation

Electropolishing provides superior results for titanium when compared to passivation. While passivation eliminates contaminants from the metal’s surface, it doesn’t remove embedded contaminants from the pores or imperfections in the metal. Passivation does not give you value-added aesthetic that electropolishing does, and electropolished parts are passivated as part of the process.

With that in mind, choosing electropolishing is the way to ensure the metal parts used are safer, longer lasting, and better suited for medical, and other critical applications.

Free Electropolishing Sample

To see how we can improve the microfinish of your titanium parts, send us your parts or prototypes and we’ll electropolish them for free – we’ll even pay for the shipping. Samples are processed in 24-48 hours.

Contact us to learn more about titanium 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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