For over fifty years Fotofab has been an industry leader in high precision metal fabrication services. This includes passivation.
Passivation is a process in which a stainless steel part is made "passive," or less susceptible to corrosion caused by the environments of its future applications. To achieve this, free iron is removed from the surface of a metal using acid.
Once this is accomplished, the other components of the alloy (often chromium and nickel) are left behind as a surface layer over the underlying steel.
Upon exposure to the air, a spontaneous chemical reaction occurs which creates an oxide layer that protects the rest of the metal from corrosion.
Benefits of this method include:
- Improved Corrosion Resistance Without Plating
- Superior Surface Cleanliness
- Eliminates Iron Contamination
- No Discoloration
- No Dimensional Change
- Repairs Damage to the Naturally-Occurring Chromium Oxide Layer
- More Environmentally Friendly
Fotofab products are made in the USA and distributed worldwide.
Occasionally this process needs to be performed again because the corrosion-resistant surface can become damaged through friction, heat or exposure to chemicals. When this happens, the iron is exposed and the item is once again subject to rusting.
In both home and commercial settings exposure to things like cleaning solutions, bleach or salt (oceanic environments) will contribute to the need for regular passivation of stainless steel. Industries in which passivation is a particularly useful tool include:
- Aerospace
- Construction
- Medical
- Military & Defense
- Marine
- Food & Beverage
At Fotofab we work almost exclusively to customer blueprints. This allows us to customize each metal part to fit specific needs. The parts we use are sourced and manufactured in the USA. Therefore, the metal isn’t subject to the new tariffs. Please contact us today to find out more.