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Stainless Steel Cleaning System

I am searching for information on currently recommended practices involved in cleaning stainless steel after draw forming operations. The stainless is welded after cleaning, polished and cleaned again. We need to replace an aging water based wash system. The new system must be environmentally compliant, be able to remove forming oils and abrasive grit. Recommendations?

Rick W. Orr
Utah MEP
1998

I could be wrong, but I regard 'environmentally compliant' as a rather meaningless buzzword these days because on the one hand nobody is going to recommend or install a system that is inherently non-compliant anyway, and on the other hand you can do virtually nothing in terms of surface finishing today without getting environmentally entangled anyway.

So, not really knowing exactly what the term means to you, I would think that aqueous-based alkaline cleaners are usually the way to go -- although there may be some solvent out there which is neither a CFC, nor an ozone generator, nor flammable, nor intoxicating.

Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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1998

You might want to look into high pressure water washing with hot water and a touch of appropriate soap.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
1998

Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
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We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.

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