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Is it Industry Standard to passivate 316L Stainless Steel after welding?
October 24, 2009
Working on a project using 316L steel metal, advised fabricator that passivation of the welds should be done. For whatever reason they were not done in the shop and now the question arises "you never provided written direction to passivate" ?
John Kochspecifier - LaConner, Washington
^- Privately contact this inquirer -^
October 31, 2009
John,
Your fabricator is right,if you did not ad it to the written specs, he does not have to passivate.
It is not industrial standard to passivate SS. Following the written specs is industrial standard.
But he will certainly do it if you order it and accept the additional cost.
Kind regards,
Marc.
- Diksmuide, Belgium, Europe
November 24, 2009
It is not "standard" to passivate. Although in my opinion it should be. Corrosion resistance is the fundamental reason for the creation of stainless (otherwise it would be called shiny silver grey metal bla bla bla HaHa! and not "Stain-Less") Corrosion resistance and passivation go hand in hand. Any stainless job-shop should offer it or at least be able to educate the customer on it and point them in the right direction.
There are however "ASTM Standards" when requesting passivating or other chemical treatments for stainless steel.
ASTM ASTM A380 [link is to spec at TechStreet] Cleaning, Descaling, Passivation of Stainless Steels.
ASTM A967 [link is to spec at TechStreet] Chemical Passivation Treatments for Stainless Steel
ASTM B912 [link is to spec at TechStreet] Passivation of Stainless Steel Using Electropolishing.
- North Vancouver, BC, Canada