Passivation is a chemical treatment that improves the corrosion resistance of stainless steel parts. It is a surface treatment, not a coating.
Learn more about Finishing at Azoth
Passivation for Stainless Steel
Passivation is used on stainless steels. Azoth's stainless steel materials include 316L and 17-4PH.
What to Send Us for Passivation
- A passivation callout on the drawing
- The passivation standard the part must meet, if your program requires one
- Any surfaces that must not be treated
Passivation Design Rules
Dimensions and Appearance
Passivation removes free iron from the surface and helps the protective oxide layer form. It adds no coating, so it normally needs no dimensional allowance and does not change the color of the part.
Blind Holes, Crevices and Internal Channels
Parts are immersed in a chemical solution and then rinsed. Tight crevices, blind holes and enclosed channels can trap solution, so give those features a way to drain and rinse.
Process Order
Passivation is normally one of the last steps, after machining, heat treatment and polishing, because those steps can leave contamination on the surface. Tell us about any work planned on the part after it leaves Azoth, since later machining or welding can undo the treatment.
Passivation Pre-Flight Checklist
Review this list before you send your part.
- The part material is a stainless steel
- Passivation is called out on the drawing, with the required standard if there is one
- Blind holes, crevices and internal channels can drain and rinse
- Any work planned on the part after passivation has been shared with Azoth
Next Steps in the Azoth Workflow
The steps that can follow Passivation in Azoth's vertically integrated workflow.
Still Have Questions?
Contact us today and our Applications Engineering team will get back to you as soon as possible.