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What is acid pickling?

I am replacing a zinc component with magnesium. My supplier already does the following alkaline cleaning. they also do a activation (I assume this is acid pickling).

The supplier is in Europe and I am in Penna.

Robert P. Massa Jr.
- Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
2006

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I wish I could exactly answer your question, Robert, but many phrases are used inexactly in this industry, and it can cause confusion. Typically acid pickling may be used at the mill to remove scale. The parts that come to a plater typically do not require acid pickling. Rather, what they require is a cleaning process (which is almost always alkaline at the last step), then acid activation, then plating. But due to the inexactness of terminology, people will sometimes call the acid activation step 'pickling'. I've called it that myself on occasion, sorry to say.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006