The importance of stainless steel surface finishes is in providing an added layer of protection against oxidation, corrosion, rusting, and staining. Finishes can meet design needs, too, leaving aesthetically pleasing appearances for architectural or other decorative applications. Some finishing services may require commercially cleaning and capping or thermocouple cleaning and capping stainless steel material already in service.
Stainless steels are a versatile alloy of iron widely used throughout the industrial world in countless applications. The alloy is well-known for its high corrosion resistance due to its minimum 10.5% chromium content by weight. But it is more familiar as that shiny, silver-like surface found on many household products in the bath and kitchen.
Stainless steel surface finishes will largely depend on the intended post-fabrication application. To help in deciding which secondary process is best-suited for your company’s needs, here are six common stainless steel surface finishes for consideration.
Sandblasting, Electro-polishing, Belt-polishing, Black Oxide, Centerless ground finish, and Passivation
