Summary for e300 passivation Discussion
E300 passivation is the key point in this thread: for MIL-DTL-14072 finish E300, the finish calls for passivation of machined or welded corrosion-resistant steel parts, and Wayne McKee said it is passivation of stainless steel per ASTM A380, with the exact treatment depending on the stainless type. In the newer discussion, the answer explains that MIL-DTL-14072 is mainly an index that cross-references the actual process spec, and that Table IV’s E300 points to ASTM A380. The reply also notes that ASTM A967 has been explicitly allowed to satisfy the passivation requirement of A380 since the 2013 revision, so A967 can be used as part of the documentation chain. On the testing question, the thread indicates that high-humidity or salt-spray testing is not automatically required unless the print or customer specifically calls for it.
Quickstart:
A couple of decades of cancellations, reinstatements, updates, and changes in passivation specs have transpired since some of these early postings. Although we must adhere to whatever specs have been issued for the components in question, the answer these days (thanks to Ray Kremer of Stellar Solutions for the updates) is:
• AMS 2700 for aerospace
• ASTM F86 for implants
• ASTM A967 for everything else
Q. Passivate per MIL F 14072 E300 isn’t the correct specification? ASTM A967? on the COC. Need help on this.
Liz Garcia
shop manager – Newark NJ
March 5, 2025
A. Liz,
OK, MIL-DTL-14072 “FINISHES FOR GROUND BASED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT”. Like a lot of these military standards, it doesn’t really tell you how to perform the metal finishing processes, rather it serves as an index to cross reference various different materials to other documents that tell you what to do.
Let me take a look that things haven’t changed since the last time I checked. Looks like the current revision is “G”, alright. I don’t think the part relevant to us has changed, though. Table IV, Finish E300 for “Machined or welded corrosion resistant steel parts” calls for “Passivate per ASTM A 380.”
Meanwhile, the use of ASTM A967 has been explicitly allowed to meet the passivation requirement of A380 since the 2013 revision.
Ultimately, you should be able to use any of the above in order to make the reference you need. If you want to be extremely thorough, you could make reference to all three. “Parts were passivated in accordance with ASTM A967, meeting the requirements of ASTM A380, meeting the requirements of MIL-DTL-14072 finish E300.” or some such.
Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.
McHenry, Illinois
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors and repetition 🙂
Q. Need to know if anyone is familiar enough with
MIL-DTL-14072
[⇦ this spec on DLA] to tell me what processing is involved with the e300 designation or if I need more information to correctly interpret the requirements.
Thanks to all.
Ken Gilliam
– Garland, Texas
2002
A. E300 is passivation of stainless steel per ASTM A380. The passivation will be dependent upon the type of stainless.
Wayne McKee
– Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors and repetition 🙂
Q. I have a customer who wants his stainless steel parts finished and to Passivate MIL-DTL-14072
[⇦ this spec on DLA]-E300. But the customer is under the impression that a E300 spec. identifies the surface finish, and the previous parts that were purchased had a surface finish of #32 in them, but the drawing clearly does not specify this. What is the E300 referring to?
Thanks,
Bruce Santourian
Owner/Manufacturing Co. – Oceanside, California, USA
2003
A. E300 IS THE CODE FINISH UNDER MIL-F-14072. WHEN YOU LOOK FURTHER IT GOES TO PASSIVATE PER ASTM
A380. NONE OF THESE CODES HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH A 32 FINISH.
GERALD A. PAGLIA
PLATING AND METAL FINISHING – BILLERICA, Massachusetts
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors and repetition 🙂
Q. What is the specific finish of: MIL-F-14072, FINISH NO. E300.
Thank You,
Bruce Laken
Plating shop – kenosha, Wisconsin, USA
2004
A. Bruce, from looking at
MIL-F-14072, page 39, it sure looks like “E300” is passivation per
ASTM A380
(and then I’d try to weasel-word some way of using ASTM A967 instead, as it is the newer specification for passivation).
You can download military and federal specs from https://assist.daps.dla.mil/quicksearch/ ^ https://quicksearch.dla.mil/
Hope this helps…
Lee Gearhart
metallurgist – E. Aurora, New York
Ed. note: We updated the link to the quicksearch site.
Q. CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF
MIL-DTL-14072
[⇦ this spec on DLA] E300 DICTATES A HIGH HUMIDITY TEST OR ANY OTHER? (SALT SPRAY ETC)?
SOME VENDORS ADD A CHARGE FOR THIS SAYING IT IS A REQUIREMENT. ALL THAT I READ WOULD SUGGEST TESTING IS ONLY REQUIRED IF SPECIFIED ON PRINT OR CUSTOMER REQUESTS TESTING.
ACTUALLY, THE OLD QQ-P-35C
[from DLA]
SPEC SEEMS TO INDICATE THE SAME.
RICHARD GOULDMAN
MACHINE SHOP – RICHMOND, Virginia
March 20, 2009
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