Brushed & electropolished services

The Protolabs Network brushing + electropolishing process

Here’s how to apply brushing and electropolishing:

• The part’s surface is cleaned and prepared by power brushing 

• The metal part being electropolished (aka anode) is connected to the positive terminal of a direct current (DC) rectifier and submerged in a tank of an electrolyte solution. The negative terminal of the rectifier is connected to a cathode (usually stainless steel) that is also submerged in the tank

• A current runs through the solution from the anode to the cathode, causing ions on the surface of the material to oxidize and dissolve into the solution

• Parts are then rinsed from the electrolyte solution in a different tank

• To finalize the finish, parts go through a final post-dip in a Nitric dip or a Citric acid, rinsed with cold water and are put to dry