M E TA L F I N I S H I N G F O R T H E

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
Table INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

TECHNICAL SUMMARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

FATIGUE LIFE IMPROVEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

ULTRACLEANING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

of
MICRODEBURRING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

MICROFINISH IMPROVEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CORROSION RESISTANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

SIZING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

DECORATIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

ABOUT US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

ABLE DIFFERENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
IMPROVING PERFORMANCE,
SAFETY AND VISUAL APPEAL
WITH SUPERIOR SURFACE FINISH

Eye-catching, exterior details may be some of the first and
most obvious places one would find electropolished com-
ponents on a car, truck or motorcycle. However, fasteners,
hinges, bracket and grills are only a few of the many compo-
nents electropolished for automotive applications.
With the proper preparation, electropolishing can yield a
bright, chrome-like and uniform surface finish that will never
crack or peel like plating or a coating. But the decorative
benefit of electropolishing is only one reason people in the
automotive industry use it to finish their metal components.
Many electropolished automotive components are buried
deep within the vehicle never to be seen by the owner and
have been electropolished for functional rather than decora-
tive reasons.
Leaders in the vehicle technology industry are focused on
making innovative products that continuously improve safety,
reliability and performance while reducing emissions and
improving fuel efficiency. Electropolishing is often employed
as the final finishing step, or as a pre-plate finish, to bolster
performance of metal components and help engineers meet
their goals.
There are six primary reasons engineers specify electropo-
lishing in the manufacturing of their metal components to
improve functionality:
1. Electropolishing improves part fatigue life
2. Electropolishing leaves an ultraclean surface
3. Electropolishing removes microburrs
4. Electropolishing improves microfinish
5. Electropolishing improves corrosion resistance
6. Electropolishing brings oversized parts into tolerance
7. Electropolishing leaves a bright decorative finish
Like many other industries that depend on electropolishing
for surface finishing, the automotive industry can achieve
performance, reliability and decorative benefits through this
single process.

4 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 5
TECHNICAL SUMMARY
Electropolishing is often referred to as a “reverse plating” process. Electrochemical in nature, elec-
tropolishing uses a combination of rectified current and a blended chemical electrolyte bath to
remove flaws from the surface of a metal part.
Since the development of electropolishing in the 1950s, substantial refinements have taken place.
Able has numerous electrolytes to allow for electropolishing on a broad range of metals. These
newer electrolytes, combined with advanced part handling techniques, have improved production
yields on a wide range of metal products.
WHAT IT DOES
While electropolishing is best known for the bright polish left on a
surface, there are some important, often overlooked, benefits of this
metal finishing method. These benefits include deburring, size control,
microfinish improvement, ultraclean finishing, corrosion resistance,
and others. These metal improvement benefits are highly desirable
to design and production engineers for cost savings and product
lifespan improvement.
HOW IT WORKS
The typical electropolishing installation is deceptively similar to a
plating line. A power source converts AC current to DC at low voltages.
A rubber-lined tank, usually fabricated from steel, is used to hold the Figure 1
chemical bath.

Today, the automotive industry utilizes electropolishing to improve part A series of copper or stainless steel cathode plates are lowered into
the bath and installed to the negative (-) side of the power source. A
performance and reliability. part or group of parts is fixed to a rack made of titanium, copper or
bronze. That rack in turn is fixed to the positive (+) side of the power
source. As the adjoining illustration depicts, the metal part is charged
Following treatment, metal parts have improved microfinish value, an ultraclean surface, and
positive (anodic) and immersed into the chemical bath.
enhanced corrosion resistance.

When current is applied, the electrolyte acts as a conductor to allow

ALLOYS WE ELECTROPOLISH metal ions to be removed from the part. While the ions are drawn
toward the cathode, the electrolyte maintains the dissolved metals in
Able specializes in providing electropolishing services for a variety of common and specialty metal
solution. Gassing in the form of oxygen occurs at the metal surface,
alloys. Here is a partial list of alloys we can electropolish:
furthering the cleansing process.
Figure 2
Once the process is completed, the part is run through a series of
• 200-300 Series Stainless Steels • Titanium rinsing and drying steps to remove clinging electrolyte. The result-
ing surface is ultraclean and bright. In fact, the bright surface is the
• 400 Series Stainless Steels • Nitinol most identifiable trait and is what helped coin the process name:
• Precipitating Hardening Grades • Specialty Alloys electropolishing.

• Unusual Stainless Steels • Nickel Alloys

• Copper Alloys • Specialty Steels
• Tool Steels • Carbon Steels
• Aluminum

Figure 3

6 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 7
 CASE STUDY
PROBLEM: In many cases a spring may fail earlier than expected
FATIGUE LIFE
due to surface imperfections or irregularities.

Able’s customer was faced with improving endurance on a high

IMPROVEMENT
cycling chrome silicon valve spring (1” dia. x 2” Long). This need
for longer life cycles may have originated in car racing circles, but
eventually caught on with every day vehicle manufacturers.
Improving overall cycle life of components is crucial for the automotive industry.
SOLUTION: It is well documented that the combination of shot
peening and electropolishing offers substantial improvement on Electropolishing is often used as an endurance finishing method to extend the life of metal parts
fatigue life of high-cycling springs. Electropolishing improves part which flex, bend and cycle. By smoothing the surface and eliminating micro-notches that would
endurance by improving surface finish and reducing micro-imper- otherwise be the origin of premature failure, electropolishing improves fatigue life, which in turn
fections that could lead to premature failure. increases safety and reliability.

By working with the customer on several rounds of samples, Able Electropolishing smooths the surface of metal parts, improving
found the optimal amount of material removal to significantly
smooth the surface of the spring and increase the amount of
fatigue life and overall safety and reliability.
cycles before failure. Once the optimal amount of stock removal
Manufactured parts often present residual defects in the form of micro-cracks or pits that can
was determined, Able held a tight tolerance on the stock removal
become initiation cites for crack propagation or corrosion. By removing these imperfections on
from part to part and from job to job. With the combination of shot
the surface of parts, engineers have found electropolishing to greatly improve the surface quality
peening and electropolishing the customer was able to lengthen
of components, leading to significant fatigue life improvement.
the life of their spring by 50%.

8 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 9
ULTRACLEANING
Components used in automotive applications are produced rival that of medical devices and surgical tools. The com-
by various manufacturing methods including stamping, ponents are washed in a solution which is then filtered and
welding, machining, laser cutting, metal injection molding, analyzed; particles are counted, weighed, etc. Different tests
among others. Many of these operations introduce free iron allow for different levels of particle size or overall amount/
and contaminants. This results in parts that are contami- weight. Loose metal debris above the allowable limit is likely
nated and feature imbedded particulate. to cause abrasion, excessive wear and change the fuel flow
and pressure which could result in decreased fuel efficiency,
Many of these mass-produced parts are used in vehicle fluid higher levels of emissions or engine damage.
delivery systems that need to be free of contaminants and
ultraclean for proper function. Residual oils, grinding com- SOLUTION: Our customer presented us with a 300 series stain-
pounds, imbedded scale, foreign debris and other impurities less steel drawn stamping with cross holes. The customer
can greatly affect precision and reliability. was having trouble finding the best deburring and cleaning
method for this part. They had tried tumbling methods but
without acceptable results. Through extensive sampling and
The electropolishing process provides an
prototyping we came to the conclusion that .001” total stock
ultraclean surface that is free of iron and removal was optimal for a clean component. We were able
to process hundreds of thousands of these components in
surface contaminants for unparalleled
a cost effective and timely manner that consistently met the
surface cleanliness customer’s quality standards. We worked with a third-party
laboratory to have sample lots from each order analyzed per
the customer’s cleanliness spec. and were able to consis-
Electropolishing is an efficient way of cleaning hundreds of
tently pass the test with detectable particle sizes remaining
thousands or millions of parts in a uniform and consistent
under the allowable limitations. In the case of the fuel system
manner so that they pass the required cleanliness tests prior
component observed under 300x magnification (below) its
to assembly.
clear to see that after electropolishing the metal surfaces are
cleaner and smoother.
CASE STUDY
PROBLEM: Microscopic bits of displaced metal and burrs
along edges are quite common with stamped parts. Espe-
cially with high volume runs, tooling can wear over time and
burrs become more prevalent. Depending on part configura-
tion, sometimes vibratory deburring or other mass finishing
methods are not capable of removing hard to reach burrs and Before After
often times this is where electropolishing becomes the most
economical and effective method for producing a consis-
tently clean part. When it comes to automotive fuel systems,
cleanliness is of the utmost importance. In some cases,
cleanliness tests for metal components used in fuel systems

10 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 11
MICRODEBURRING CASE STUDY
PROBLEM: The client needed to improve the performance and lon-
gevity of their steel parts. The ball screw and ball screw nut were
part of a motor-driven assembly that could also be operated by
hand-turning. The 48-inch ball screw raises and lowers recreational
Burrs resulting from the manufacturing process are big concern for automotive part
vehicles. The screw threads had sharp burr edges, which caused
suppliers. Because many automotive parts are often used in fluid and power applications,
the assembly to gall and seize up. The client required a free-trav-
the need for burr removal goes beyond aesthetics. The removal of burrs improves safety,
eling ball screw, with safety and performance taking top priority.
functionality and overall operation of all working parts. The removal of burrs from automotive
parts ensures proper part fit and prevents scratches on the surface of parts that come into
SOLUTION: The client experimented with electropolishing
contact with one another.
over a three-year period, testing several lots of ball screws
and ball screw nuts. After testing various samples, the client
Electropolishing, by nature, removes micro burrs from the determined that electropolishing greatly exceeded their expecta-
tions. By eliminating the sharp burr edges on the product, Able
surface of parts.
Electropolishing was able to stop the products from locking up
during use. The client’s standard test was 5,000 cycles up and
The innate nature of the electropolishing process can be thought of on a basic level as similar
down the ball screw. After electropolishing the parts, the ball screw
to lightning striking the tallest object first. Burrs are essentially high points on the metal
assembly lasted for significantly more than 5,000 cycles with no
surface, known as “high current density areas”, and are removed at a faster rate. Due to this
problems. Electropolishing is now a standard part of the client’s
phenomenon, electropolishing can often remove microburrs without removing an unaccept-
design process.
able amount of stock from the overall diameter or thickness of the part.

Before After

12 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 13
MICROFINISH CASE STUDY
PROBLEM: Able was approached by a customer designing a part

IMPROVEMENT for a fuel injector which needed microfinish improvement. The

part was fabricated via Metal Injection Molding (MIM). The outside
surfaces of the part were ground, but there were intricate features,
lip-like sealing surfaces, that were sunken within the part and
could not be effectively ground. If the lips didn’t have a perfect
Microfinish improvement can be expected on most electropolished parts. The more metal seal with the mating part there would be leakage and performance
removed, the smoother the finish (up to a certain point). As a rule of thumb the optimal stock would suffer.

removal for maximizing microfinish improvement is around .001” total from overall diameter
SOLUTION: Through many rounds of samples and prototypes, the
or thickness, although sometimes customers find additional improvement with up to .002”
customer established that .002” total stock removal from the O.D.
or .003” total removal. Whether a metal part is stamped, machined, metal injection molded,
was required to bring the sealing surfaces into spec. (to an 8 Ra).
cut, cast, formed or ground, its surfaces will likely have some level of surface roughness and
Once the correct stock removal was decided on, Able locked in the
imperfections after fabrication.
proper processing parameters on their engineering work instruc-
tions issued with each and every order. With the electropolished
Electropolishing dissolves metal ions from the microscopic high finish, the customer could ensure that even with lot sizes in the
hundreds of thousands, the stock removal would stay consistent
points at a faster rate than that of the low points, thus creating a +/- .0002” variation, and the desired surface finish would be con-
surface leveling effect. sistently met.

Typically, electropolishing is capable of up to 50% reduction in Ra value. For example: if a

component is machined to a 32 Ra, electropolishing is normally able to smooth the finish to
a 16 Ra. Electropolishing can reduce galling on threaded parts, improve sealing surfaces and
lengthen the life of parts that tend to wear out with constant cycling. In the Automotive world,
this often translates to better fuel economy and less harmful emissions. Engineers looking for
ways to reduce friction and meet specific Ra requirements often choose electropolishing as
the final metal finishing step because it is both effective and economical.

Before After

14 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 15
 CASE STUDY

CORROSION RESISTANCE PROBLEM: The client needed to brighten stainless steel fasten-
ers used for trucks and autos but also needed to enhance the
corrosion resistance because of the part’s application and envi-
ronment. However, this part presented a unique challenge that
prevented the client from trying mechanical polishing methods. On
this small part, the washer is captive but not attached to the head
Rust is a constant threat to metal components on vehicles continuously exposed to the elements or
of the screw. With the assembly comprised of two components
corrosive chemicals. Machining, stamping, welding and other manufacturing processes imbed contam-
fabricated with different methods, a uniform finish on both parts
inants and destroy the naturally occurring passive layer on stainless steel.
was difficult-to-impossible to achieve using other processes, like
abrasive and mechanical polishing.
Because the electropolishing process removes a thin, uniform layer of surface material, it creates an
ultraclean exterior, free of the iron deposits that can appear after machining, stamping or other second-
SOLUTION: Using our unique electropolishing process, we were
ary operations.
able to achieve the bright finish and corrosion resistance the client
required on both the washer and the screw. As an electrochemical
Electropolished parts are left with a chromium-rich, passive surface process, electropolishing removes a controlled amount of metal
from the surface area of the entire part, ensuring comprehensive
that is much more resistant to premature corrosion.
and uniform cleaning. Benefits of this process include a bright
finish and improved corrosion resistance—exactly what this client
Electropolishing gives stainless steel components the protection they need against premature failure
was looking for with this part. Because the part is submerged in a
due to corrosion, even in regions with the harshest weather. Due to enhanced corrosion resistance,
chemical bath, all surfaces are polished, including hard-to-reach
electropolishing is a popular option for surface finish improvement in the automotive industry.
crevices and the grooves in the screw’s threading. In addition elec-
tropolishing removed micro burrs from the threads, reducing the
chance of galling.

16 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 17
 CASE STUDY
PROBLEM: Our customer manufactures a carbon steel yoke. The SIZING
part was manufactured to size, but subsequent heat treating caused
the internal gear teeth to grow. The customer needed a way to bend
the teeth back to original size while retaining their uniformity and
smoothness. After trying several traditional methods, none yielded
the uniform finish they needed for the part to be viable—some Proper fit is crucial for parts used in automotive applications. Electropolishing can sometimes be
parts simply do not fit into traditional sizing operations, because of used to size components that are slightly out of tolerance. A common example of this is when
either special tooling, potential for damage, introduction of surface parts grow slightly due to a heat treat process. A skilled electropolisher can remove a uniform and
stresses or contamination risks. Remaking the parts would have precise amount of material to shrink the part back to the proper size.
resulted in extra costs and increased lead times — In addition the
parts required a cosmetic finish. Electropolishing’s uniform removal of surface material improves
SOLUTION: Able Electropolishing experimented with several the parts fit by bringing dimensions into tolerance.
sample parts, electropolishing the steel to remove varying amounts
of surface material until achieving the ideal size. Because electrop- Because electropolishing submerges the part in an electrochemical bath that gently removes
olishing submerges the part in an electrochemical bath that gently surface metal, it can resize parts and their unique geometries uniformly, ensuring that the part fits
removes surface metal, it resized the internal gear teeth uniformly, its mate exactly as the manufacturer intended.
ensuring that the part fit its mate exactly as the manufacturer
intended.

An added benefit to the electropolishing this part was receiving

a bright finish—unlike traditional or mechanical steel polishing,
electropolishing can reduce microfinish values by 50% with a
removal of only .0005” from each surface. This uniform removal of
surface imperfections gives the piece a decorative finish while also
reducing friction and ultimately improving the part’s performance.

18 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 19
 CASE STUDY
DECORATIVE PROBLEM: One of our customers needed their lock rods to be
bright and shiny, so that they would match the chrome parts on
tractor trailers. The client was using mechanical polishing methods
on the aluminum rods to remove weld discoloration and provide a
bright, shiny surface. This metal polishing process was dirty and
Perhaps the most well-known benefit of electropolishing for the automotive industry is the decorative
time consuming, and caused employees in the plant to complain
finish that can be achieved through the operation. With the proper material choice and preparation,
about the aluminum dust created as a byproduct.
electropolishing can yield a bright, chrome-like and uniform surface finish that will never crack or peel
like plating or a coating.
SOLUTION: By electropolishing the part, we were able to remove
weld discoloration and improve the finish of the part’s entire surface
Electropolishing stainless steel gives auto parts a uniformly bright, area in a single step. Electropolishing removes a precise amount
of surface metal, eliminating discoloration such as that caused by
shiny and chrome-like appearance. welding and creating a uniform, shiny finish. As a non-mechani-
cal process, even complex surfaces are treated simultaneously
The eye-catching, exterior details may be some of the first and most obvious places one would find
and uniformly, speeding up the finishing process. Electropolish-
electropolished components on a car, truck or motorcycle. Fasteners, hinges, brackets and grills are
ing allowed the client to meet their finish goals with reduced labor
just a few of the many components that require a bright decorative finish in automotive applications.
costs and more consistent results, while also removing the source
of the troublesome aluminum dust in the plant.

20 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry ableelectropolishing.com ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 21
ABOUT US
METAL FINISHING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1954
Production and engineering breakthroughs achieved during
WWII led to new and exciting metal finishing technologies
as industry shifted from the war economy. Our founder, Zen
Pokvitis, was on the leading edge of those developments and
focused his chemical background on production applications
for electropolishing. That experience in chemical formulation
and equipment design led to the founding of Able Electropol-
ishing Company in 1954, which began focusing on the needs
of metalworking companies nationally.
A COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
Able continues to make large investments in our facility to
make sure we are in compliance with the stringent environ-
mental guidelines now being enforced by federal, state and
local regulatory agencies. Our investment in practices that
support environmental sustainability means we’re ready to
serve our customers today and in the future.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATION,
SERVICE & EXPERTISE
Today, Able Electropolishing is America’s largest electropol-
ishing specialist, employing more than 180 people on three
equally staffed shifts at our 40,000-sq.-ft., state- of-the-art
facility in Chicago, Ill. Thousands of companies in many
industries worldwide utilize Able technology for their metal
parts.
Though our technology plays a vital role in serving custom-
ers, the traditions of service and attention to quality are what
make Able Electropolishing a unique company.
22 Metal Finishing for the Automotive Industry
Our entire company is tuned to the concept of doing the job
right the first time. We have long recognized that metal fin-
ishing is the “last step” for many companies designing and
producing metal parts, and we are often the lifeline for com-
panies faced with assembly line shutdowns due to parts that
are late or malfunctioning. Being part of the solution and
meeting tough deadlines has established Able as the pre-
ferred vendor for so many companies.
OTHER SERVICES WE PROVIDE
While electropolishing is our signature service, we also have
other metal finishing capabilities to enhance your parts. In
addition to electropolishing, our other services include:
• Passivation
• Contract Cleaning
• Titanium Color Anodizing
• Laser Engraving
• Bake Out
• Custom Packaging
ableelectropolishing.com
THE ABLE DIFFERENCE
EXPERTISE & EFFICIENCY
Able Electropolishing takes pride in our exceptional, expedi- We are also an ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 registered company.
ted electropolishing process. By providing our signature metal These standards allow us to provide finishing services for
finishing service automotive component manufacturers in a critical parts in industries like pharmaceutical, medical device
timely manner, we assist our customers who need fast and manufacturing, aerospace, automotive and more.
accurate results.
By meeting or exceeding the various standards and
INDUSTRY STANDARDS quality management system requirements set by these
We meet the following industry standards: organizations, we can provide services like electropolishing,
passivation and more while giving our clients a sense of true
security and consistency in our quality.
• AMS 2700 • ASTM A967
When you work with Able Electropolishing, you can enjoy the
• ASME BPE • ASTM B912
peace of mind that we are meeting high standards, whether
• ASTM A380 • ASTM F86 you’re sending us one part or thousands. We continue to add
state-of-the-art equipment to keep at the forefront of our
industry.
QUALITY STANDARDS & CERTIFICATIONS
At Able Electropolishing, we strive to satisfy our customers
with every metal finishing job we complete. This includes
adhering to international standards of excellence, ensuring
that we consistently provide a variety of high-quality metal
finishing services. We meet standards set by:
• ASTM (The American Society for Testing and Materials)
• ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
• SAE (The Society of Automotive Engineers)
• ISO (The International Organization for Standardization)
ableelectropolishing.com Able Electropolishing 23
Tom Glass – President
Scott Potter – Sales Manager
Brian Glass – Quality Manager
Virginia Johnson – Customer Service Manager

Sales: sales@ableelectropolishing.com
Customer Service: cservice@ableelectropolishing.com
Phone: 888.868.2900