Passivation is an important step in protecting and cleaning parts. Through the passivation phase of cleaning, stainless steel components are […]
Passivation is the removal of exogenous ferrous material from the surface of stainless steel parts, creating a hard chrome “passive” layer to provide protection to the stainless steel, leaving the surface ferrous metal free. Two different paths to proper passivation can be used with proven success in ACT's systems: nitric or citric passivation. Care should be taken to research your passivation requirements, and to understand the ramifications of using nitric acid in production facilities. For this reason, the bulk of ACT’s passivation equipment and systems are engineered around citric passivation. ACT has a strong business relationship with Stellar Solutions, www.citrisurf.com, the world leader in citric passivation formulary. ACT’s passivation equipment and systems and Citrisurf® chemistries are ideal pairings for safe and cost effective passivation of stainless steel parts in any environment.
It is important to note that passivation is directly linked to cleanliness. If parts are dirty – especially oily – then the passivation process cannot occur. That’s why the majority of ACT cleaning systems and equipment includes pre-cleaning and rinsing stages ahead of the passivation stages.