General Information

Metal Coating Process Corporation offers periodic seminars entitled, "Principles of Electropolishing" as a service to its current and developing industrial customers. These educational sessions are held periodically at our offices in Charlotte, North Carolina. and admission is by invitation only.

Overview of Seminar                             

Electropolishing has become one of the premier methods of finishing stainless steel for all medical, dental, pharmaceutical, semiconductor and related applications requiring a clean, sanitary surface. The process is capable of producing a technically superior surface, essentially featureless, with enhanced corrosion resistance.

The finish produced is unlike that obtained by mechanical finishing methods. Iron and nickel are preferentially removed, leaving a surface film consisting essentially of chromium oxide.

The electropolishing process has been available for more than fifty years, but emerging applications require constant improvements in the product, in the processing methods for maximizing product performance, and in quality control systems designed to meet the most demanding international standards.

The MCP seminar addresses these important concepts, providing a compact forum for presentation and discussion of electropolishing methods. Emphasis is placed on a basic understanding of the nature of the process, the properties of the product, and the manufacturing and quality methods required to maximize the benefits of the process.

What is Electropolishing?

Electropolishing is an electrochemical method of smoothing and brightening a metal surface. The part to be polished is connected to the positive terminal of a DC electrical system and is submerged in an electrolytic bath. The flow of current causes burrs and other surface imperfections to dissolve in the bath, producing simultaneous removal of the work-hardened surface and regeneration of an impervious oxide layer.

Course Objectives

To recognize and to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of
   electropolishing as a surface finishing method for stainless steel.
 
To grasp the theory of the process and to study its application to industrial
   problems.
 
• To understand the mechanism by which the phenomenon proceeds.
 
• To develop a knowledge of the equipment needed for top quality electropolished
   finishes and for peripheral operations such as waste water treatment and
   ventilation.
 
• To understand the preparatory methods for production of top quality
   electropolished surfaces.
 
• To develop a basic understanding of the racking principles for electropolishing
   parts.
 
• To learn the interaction of the basic control parameters governing the
   performance of the bath and the quality of the product.
 
• To review new methods of determining product quality.
 
• To understand the principles of ISO 9000 standards and their application to an
   electropolishing process.
 
• To learn the use of troubleshooting techniques in the operation of an
   electropolishing system.
 
• To understand the types of electrolyte for polishing stainless steel, and to learn
   optimum control methods for each type of bath.
 
• To review a variety of industrial applications and to develop a broad
   understanding of the benefits of electropolishing.

Who should attend

The MCP Seminar will be beneficial to all employees responsible for any aspects of company activity related to electropolishing, whether their functions are Process or Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Control, Purchasing, Sales, or Management. Manufacturing supervisors will appreciate the insights into the new technology of the process. Engineers responsible for product design or for specifying the performance and properties of an electropolished surface will develop an understanding of the functional nature of the finish. Purchasing personnel responsible for buying finished parts or job services will develop new tools for specifying and monitoring supplier performance. Quality control personnel will learn how to relate ISO and Total Quality Management techniques to the electropolishing process. Corporate managers will learn the capabilities of the system and will be provided with tools for planning or redesigning process facilities. Plant engineering managers will learn cost effective methods of dealing with new environmental regulations. Sales and marketing personnel will develop an appreciation for the technical characteristics of the electropolished finish and will gain new insights into marketing techniques to maximize sales.

Special Topics

Seminars can be tailored to include special topics related to tube or tank polishing applications. Several advanced seminars on topics are also available. The basic program "Principles of Electropolishing" is a prerequisite" for the advanced seminars.

Course Outline

 
 Overview
 • What is electropolishing?
 • How is electropolishing done
 • What equipment is needed?
 • Micropolishing & macropolishing
 • Basic chemistry of electropolishing

 Pratical Applications
 • Decorative
 • Functional
 • Hi-Technology

 Equipment for Electropolishing
 • Parts on racks
 • Barrel processing
 • Tube methods
 • Internal Cathodes
 • Inductive Polishing
 • Vessel Polishing
 • Handheld tools for electropolishing

 Pretreatment for Electropolishing

 Mechanical Preparation
 • Machining techniques
 • Surface grinding
 • Buffing/Polishing
 • Lapping
 • Surface evaluation

 Fundamentals of Electropolishing
 • History of electropolishing
 • The Bielby Layer
 • Metal matrix reactions
 • The anodic film (the gold layer)
 • The characterization curve
 • The operating range
 • Voltage-amperage
 • Relationships
 • Material Balances
 • Battelle electrolytes
 • Troubleshooting
 • Rules of Thumb
 • Types of rectifiers
 • Alkaline cleaning
 • Rinsing
 • Deoxidizing
 • Vapor degreasing

 Post-Treatment
 • Nitric acid rinsing
 • Removal of residual salts
 • Deionized water rinses
 • Drying
 • Heat treatment after electropolishing

 Selection of Alloys for Electropolishing
 • Effect of occluded impurities
 • Electroslag remelt
 • Vacuum arc remelt
 • Vacuum induction melt
 • VIMVAR stainless steels
 • Rectifier selection
 • Ripple factor
 • Rectifier control packages

 Quality Control Considerations
 • System Characterization
 • Key Process Variables
 • Statistical Process Control
 • Oxide layer characteristics
 • Ratio of chromium to iron
 • ESCA profiles as a measure of product quality
 • Auger analysis as a measure of product quality
 • Electropolishing and ISO registration
 • Electropolishing and FDA validation

 Waste Treatment of Electropolishing Streams
 • Electrolyte Recovery
 • Rinse Water Recovery
 • Waste Water Minimization
 • Chemical waste destruction
 • Solid waste disposal
 

Course Materials

Each registrant will receive a personal copy of the following MCP publications:

 • The MCP Electropolishing Process - An Overview

 • General Process Steps

 • Installation and Operations Guide

 • Fundamentals of Electropolishing

 • Process Control for Electropolishing

 • Surface Analytical Techniques

 • Selected Literature

__________________________________________________________________

Cost of the Seminar


The seminar programs conducted in Charlotte, NC, are normally one 8-hour day in length and are designed for employees from a single company. The charge for the seminar is $750 per participant, with a minimum of two (2) persons, payable at the time of registration. The fee includes all group sessions, group luncheon, light refreshments during coffee breaks, and course materials for each participant. A special discount can be arranged for groups of five or more.
.

Registration fees must be paid by check fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled date of each seminar. Attendance at each session is limited intentionally to permit maximum participation of all members of the group, and only those with guaranteed reservations can be admitted.

Registrant Information

Seminar sessions are intended to be informal and are designed to encourage participation by those in attendance. Casual dress is suggested.


Each session includes lunch for the participants. Coffee and light refreshments are available throughout the program.

Our conference room is a nonsmoking environment.

Travel Information

Air
Charlotte, NC, is served by a number of major air carriers. The Charlotte airport is a major hub for USAir.

Ground Transportation
Limousine service is available from the Charlotte Douglas Airport to most major hotels in the area. Accommodations in the South Park area of Charlotte are recommended, as this location is readily accessible to both the airport and MCP. MCP is located at Suite 134 in the Idlewild Office Park between Monroe Road and East Independence Boulevard (US Highway 74), near the intersection of Idlewild Road with East Independence.

Please contact MCP for assistance with travel or accommodations.

Accommodations

Hotels in the area include:

At South Park:

Courtyard by Marriott (704)•552•7333  
6023 Park South Dr.
South Park Suite Hotel (704)•364•2400  
6300 Morrison Blvd.
Park Hotel (704)•364•8220  
2200 Rexford Rd.
Hyatt Hotel (704)•554•1234  
5501 Carnegie Blvd.
Hampton Inn (704)•319•5700   6700 Phillips Place Court

At I-77:

Holiday Inn/Woodlawn (704)•525•8350  
212 West Woodlawn Rd.
Hilton/Westpark (704)•527•8000  
5624 Westpark Dr.
Marriott/Executive Park (704)•527•9650  
5700 Westpark Dr.
Howard Johnson/Woodlawn (704)•527•1620  
122 West Woodlawn Rd.
Fairfield Inn by Marriott/Airport (704)•392•0600  
3400 South I85 Service Rd.

South Park is the location of a major shopping mall and the area has numerous restaurants and activities. Several of the hotels are located within easy walking distance of restaurants and shops. The I-77 area is less compact, and a rental car is recommended for local travel.

MCP Staff will be pleased to assist with local hotel reservations and travel arrangements.

Three Ways to Register

1. Complete the registration form and mail it to MCP with a Purchase Order
    Number.
 
2. Fax the completed form to MCP at 704/535-4535, together with a Purchase
    Order No.
 
3. Telephone the MCP Hotline at 1-800-548-9889 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern
    Time, Monday through Friday.

Upon receipt of your order, your organization will be invoiced for the participant fee(s). Payment must be received at least fourteen (10) working days prior to the date of the seminar.

Seminar Schedule

All programs are normally held at the MCP offices in Charlotte, NC. Registered participants are advised if the location is changed. Normal seminar hours are 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

In-house Seminars

MCP also offers a unique in-house seminar which is more cost effective for large groups of employees. The session usually includes two or three days on site, designed to familiarize the seminar leader with the your manufacturing operations and to tailor the presentation to your specific requirements.
Call the MCP Hotline 1-800-548-9889 for further details.

If you would like to arrange a seminar for your company, please fill out our
Registration Form <click here.