When quality stainless steel is produced it typically leaves the mill with an equal concentration (1:1) or less of chromium (Cr) and iron (Fe) atoms on its surface. When formed, the chromium will interact with the atmospheric oxygen to create a chemically inert, passive layer. It is this passive layer that helps the stainless steel…

The process of passivation is a mystery for most people and the outside observer. It would appear that the process of passivation is much like making a cocktail; pour the chemistry in, swish it around, and voila! However, a much better comparison would be baking a souffle where the right combination of ingredients, time and…

At the end of the 19th century, as American commerce was increasingly dependent on the rail network tying the country together, there was a prolonged spate of accidents that threatened to disrupt the Second Industrial Revolution. In response, engineers and scientists working for the Pennsylvania Railroad formed the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) in…

Surface roughness is an often-overlooked dimensional aspect of the manufacturing process. While more focus is generally given to the composition of a part and its strength, or to its measured dimensions and tolerances, a surface that is too rough can result in increased friction and premature failure of a part. Going beyond mechanical operation, high…

For many, the mention of the word “cleanroom” conjures up images of a space-age white room with workers moving about in full-body “bunny suits” and filtered facemasks working on items inside of glove boxes. Of course, Hollywood has a lot to do with that, but even many people within industries that utilize cleanrooms aren’t entirely…

This video takes you inside the distribution piping of a typical water system to see the Cleaning, Derouging, and Passivation treatment process. This video will demonstrate the treatment process of a typical system and show how passivation can improve the corrosion resistance.  Contamination of any sort is the bane of those who operate systems…

Since their first inception at Sandi National Laboratories in 1960, cleanrooms have become an essential part of industrial production and scientific research. Designed to minimize the levels of particulates and organisms, they traditionally require a lot of planning, lead time and sufficient real estate that limits many would-be users. Mobile cleanroom rentals (MCRs) were first…

Just as their name implies, high purity water systems have one purpose and one purpose only: produce and transport high purity water to where it is required. That means no minerals, no particulates, no bacteria, and no other organic material should be in the water stream. When an inspection of the system results in a…

Congratulations! You did your due diligence and had components passivated to increase their resistance to corrosion significantly. Now what? As miraculous as passivated stainless steel’s ability to not corrode under normal circumstances appears, passivation is not a secret potion that magically imparts a lifetime of invulnerability. What is Passivation? As a quick re-cap, stainless steel…

When President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) into law on January 4, 2011, the purpose was to make food growers and processors more proactive in food supply contamination prevention as opposed to continuing the reactive practices of relying on recalls. As the deadlines were phased in through the supply chain, the businesses involved in…