We specialise in providing reliable tubing to clients in a massive range of industries. For years people have thought of us as the top ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has. Part of the reason for this is that we have many different options available. Another is that we ensure quality by testing every tube. Most importantly however, we guarantee that everyone gets a personal and unique service.
One process that often comes up with tubing is electropolishing. Many ask how much the process will enhance the surface finish of their components. In this post, our intention is to discuss the subject in detail to give you a better idea of how things work.
Representations of surface roughness
RMS and Ra both act as representations of surface roughness. We calculate Ra as the roughness average of an exterior’s microscopic valleys and peaks. As for RMS, we calculate it as the root mean square of these same valleys and peaks. Both can tell you how rough a surface will be.
One common belief is that electropolishing has the ability to enhance RMS and Ra by as much as 50%. Surface finishes and part tolerances typically limit this number though. In all practicality, the process will minimise Ra by 10 to 30%. This will depend on the starting finish.
Speaking in general terms, the lower your RMS or Ra is at first, the lower the percentage of reduction. In these instances electropolishing is going to be controlled. It will remove a specific amount of material. If you remove too much, the surface roughness is capable of moving up on a micro level. The result is a rough surface with visual pitting.
The ways in which electropolishing enhances your items
One way is by offering decent aesthetics and a smoothing effect. Electropolishing disposes of high spots on the surface of a metal part. In other words, the dimensions of the lower spots aren’t altered much. The result is a smoothing to the base metal surface. Also, it means the level of dimensional change you need to acquire the polishing effect is minor.
Thanks to electropolishing, there will also be easier maintenance and cleaning. You won’t have as much trouble because the surfaces will be smoother. It will help even in hard to reach areas.
Applications like food and beverages, labs, and medical will need you to sterilise your components. The levelling of valleys and micro peaks via electropolishing means there won’t be grooves where particles or bacteria could gather. It will make sterilisation easier. If you want to work with the leading ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has, please talk to us.
Another thing electropolishing helps with is lowering friction and surface drag. Visually, the smoothing disposes of grain boundaries. This has the extra effect of reducing stress cracking incidents. For mission-critical projects, you must have your parts operating at optimum levels. What’s more, they have to be within some of the incredibly tight tolerances that end-users demand.
Finally, electropolishing can expose defective parts. This procedure has a built-in quality control element to it. The process is one that is performed in the presence of aggressive chemicals. So, they usually uncover part defects when parts come through the process line. It is an efficient way of double checking those materials you are processing.
Help from the best ERW steel tube supplier in the West Midlands
At Union Steel Tubes, we want to ensure we can cater to the needs of every client. Therefore, we keep many different tube sizes, thicknesses, and widths in stock. Moreover, we ensure that every order is ready for quick delivery.
So, contact us today if you wish to work with the top ERW steel tube supplier West Midlands has. You will get quality products for excellent prices and can even ask us for recommendations.
