Chemical Passivation vs. Electropolishing for Household & Consumer Appliances

To prevent costly warranty repairs and premature part failure, consumer appliance metal components can be electropolished to clear away contaminants and other foreign matter embedded in the pores of the metal, leaving the surface shiny, smooth, and heavily resistant to corrosion or contamination.

Chemical Passivation vs. Electropolishing for Appliance Parts

Household and consumer appliance manufacturers have to meet specific price points while manufacturing quality products.

Manufacturers trying to maintain part reliability at the lowest possible cost may opt for chemical passivation over electropolishing. Passivation, however, does not provide the same results as electropolishing, including the removal of visible heat tint.

Electropolishing appliance parts removes the outermost layer of material from the metal, including carbon steel contaminants embedded in the pores from forming and machining. If not removed, these contaminated areas become initiation sites for corrosion. Electropolishing also gives the part a smooth, shiny surface finish that protects against prolonged exposure to water, prevents ice from sticking and improves the appliance’s overall function.

Salt spray testing shows that electropolished stainless steel is 30 times more corrosion resistant than stainless steel that has been passivated. Send your samples for electropolishing to evaluate both finish and dimensional changes. If electropolishing is planned during the design stage, the material removal can be factored into your final size specifications.

How We Work with Consumer Appliance Clients

Whitepaper: Electropolishing for Significantly Improved Corrosion Resistance

Learn why enhanced corrosion resistance is one of the most common reasons engineers across a variety of industries rely on electropolishing to finish their critical metal parts, especially for parts made of stainless steel. Three included case studies show the difference electropolishing makes.

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Whitepaper: Advantages of Electropolishing for Deburring Metal Parts

Electropolishing, with its ability to remove a microscopically precise layer of surface material with consistent results, is the finishing process of choice for such parts, for many reasons. Learn why electropolishing is more effective than other methods for removing burrs.

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Technical Guide: Your Solution to Metal Surface Problems

Whether you are an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), a part manufacturer or a metal working shop looking to solve these common surface problems, it's critical to find a solution to adequately address these issues in a cost-effective method.

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Burrs—those unwanted raised edges, micro-protrusions, and sharp fragments left behind after machining, stamping, or laser cutting—are a common challenge in metal manufacturing.

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