Estimated Cost of Electropolishing Capital Investment: Electropolishing equipment is available in a wide range of types and sizes. The materials handling system may be manual or automatic, depending upon the requirements. Certain sizes of manual and automatic lines can be furnished from existing designs, saving the Buyer time and money. Other systems must be specially designed to accommodate a particular requirement. The smallest electropolishing systems furnished by MCP are so-called "console" lines which include all of the process steps needed to produce the highest quality electropolishing. Such systems vary in size from 5 gallons to 45 gallons tank capacity and include self-contained ducting for ventilation of all acid tanks and all heated tanks. A separate control panel is provided, and optional features, such as secondary containment, operator platforms, and safety railing are available. A special ultrasonic package can be added at a nominal cost. The "console" type of unit is entirely suitable for small-scale production, pilot plant, or development work. MCP "standard" electropolishing systems are built from existing engineering drawings, and are designed for tank capacities of 50 gallons to 500 gallons. These systems usually consist of 10-12 tank stations, covering Precleaning, Electropolishing, and Post Treatment modules. Standard systems are designed with optional PVC ventilating systems and optional skid-mounted wasterwater treatment systems. Equipment costs for all standard systems can be furnished upon request. Automatic lines are available in the rotative arm "carousel" machine, designed with programmable time cycles. These machines vary from about 8'- 36' in diameter, optimizing production by a single operator in limited floor space. Straight-line automatic machines, using programmable hoists are also available for rack processing. Ventilation and Waste treatment options are generally included with the proposal. Applications such as polishing of large tanks require use of special equipment and techniques depending upon the product to be polished and the finish specifications. Sometimes the tank can be filled with solution and used as its own vessel for polishing; in other cases, the tank is partially filled with solution and is rotated around a stationary cathode to achieve the desired finish. Internal tank finishes suitable for processing of biopharmaceutical, food, dairy, beverage, chemical, and many other applications are produced in this manner. Operating Costs: The cost of chemicals and power for electropolishing normally ranges from US$0.05 - 0.15 per square foot of work for most "clean and bright" finish specifications on stainless steels. The costs of labor, overhead, and certain operating parameters such as drag-out losses and waste treatment are not included in these numbers and must be added to obtain the total operating cost. Mechanical surface preparation steps, such as grinding or buffing, must also be added to the cost of the finished part. Labor costs are generally comparable to those encountered in rack plating and may range upward from US$0.01 - 0.10 per piece for small parts processed in large volumes to many man-hours of work for polishing a large vessel. Labor costs generally exceed the cost of chemicals and power; therefore, careful attention to the production rate may be extremely important to the variable cost of electropolishing. Electropolishing solutions are normally furnished in 15-gallon or 50-gallon drums, or in bulk volumes of 1500 to 3000 gallons. Prices vary with the type of solution and with the volume purchased, but typical prices for stainless steel electropolishing solutions range from US$12 per gallon to US$25 per gallon in drums. Cost Estimates: MCP will provide a free estimate of capital costs to qualified buyers. The questionnaire form included in the section of this web site entitled "Quotation Request" should be completed and returned to MCP by email to file a formal request for a preliminary proposal. For all proposals, the information submitted should include the part dimensions, specifications, and production requirements. In some cases, additional information such as samples or drawings of the parts to be electropolished may be requested by MCP. The MCP consulting/seminar service is available to provide a basis for upgrading or expanding existing systems. return to top