ATS-Mechanical polishing includes grinding, polishing and buffing - all processes for improving the surface conditions of your stainless steel The process is to do grinding first, polishing second, and buffing third. In grinding, polishing and buffing, labor is a major variable in the process. The requirement if for highly skilled labor with years of experience and a thorough knowledge of the art of their craft. We offer complete job work at your site with our highly trained team.

Polishing is an intermediate step used to improve the surface finish from the grinding step, such as found on a common household stainless steel sink - lustrous, but not mirror-like. Polishing uses abrasives firmly attached to a flexible backing, such as a wheel, belt or orbital motion tool.

Mechanical stainless steel polishing is an abrading operation used to remove or smooth grinding lines, scratches, pits, mold marks, parting lines, tool marks, stretcher strains, and surface defects that adversely affect the appearance or function of the part. The process causes some plastic working of the surface as metal is removed. A mechanically polished surface yields an abundance of scratches, strains, metal debris and embedded abrasives, and always distorts the metal surface. Burnishing metal by lapping or buffing decreases the micro-inch roughness and improves the image-defining quality of a surface, but it never completely removes the debris and damage metal caused by mechanical polishing.

KEY POINTS Any mechanically produced surface produces a work hardened, disturbed and damaged grain layer. This is accompanied by a scratched, sheared, and torn surface contaminated with embedded abrasives and compounds. Its importance depends on its application. From a cosmetic appearance standpoint, these effects may be unimportant. For high purity applications, e.g., semiconductor or pharmaceutical, particles and contaminants can be of utmost importance affecting purity of product and yield. Often it takes a SEM photomicrograph at very, very high magnification to show these effects - but it is there. A desirable alternative to be considered is electropolishing for which Mechanical polishing is advisable.

ATS-Mechanical polishing includes grinding, polishing and buffing - all processes for improving the surface conditions of your stainless steel The process is to do grinding first, polishing second, and buffing third. In grinding, polishing and buffing, labor is a major variable in the process. The requirement if for highly skilled labor with years of experience and a thorough knowledge of the art of their craft. We offer complete job work at your site with our highly trained team.

Polishing is an intermediate step used to improve the surface finish from the grinding step, such as found on a common household stainless steel sink - lustrous, but not mirror-like. Polishing uses abrasives firmly attached to a flexible backing, such as a wheel, belt or orbital motion tool.

Mechanical stainless steel polishing is an abrading operation used to remove or smooth grinding lines, scratches, pits, mold marks, parting lines, tool marks, stretcher strains, and surface defects that adversely affect the appearance or function of the part. The process causes some plastic working of the surface as metal is removed. A mechanically polished surface yields an abundance of scratches, strains, metal debris and embedded abrasives, and always distorts the metal surface. Burnishing metal by lapping or buffing decreases the micro-inch roughness and improves the image-defining quality of a surface, but it never completely removes the debris and damage metal caused by mechanical polishing.

KEY POINTS Any mechanically produced surface produces a work hardened, disturbed and damaged grain layer. This is accompanied by a scratched, sheared, and torn surface contaminated with embedded abrasives and compounds. Its importance depends on its application. From a cosmetic appearance standpoint, these effects may be unimportant. For high purity applications, e.g., semiconductor or pharmaceutical, particles and contaminants can be of utmost importance affecting purity of product and yield. Often it takes a SEM photomicrograph at very, very high magnification to show these effects - but it is there. A desirable alternative to be considered is electropolishing for which Mechanical polishing is advisable.