Is pickling of welds before electropolishing necessary?

Pickling of welds – good electropolishing results

The short answer is yes. Pickling, including the removal of weld oxides, is necessary to achieve a good electropolishing result. There are several reasons for this.It’s not possible to electropolish away heavy weld oxide. The oxide will shield the electrical flow, leaving the welds untreated or unsightly after electropolishing.

Electropolishing is sensitive to surface contaminants. Oils, grease, or other chemical residues can cause undesired effects, and in such cases, pickling acts as a cleaning agent.

Smoother and better results

A pickled surface usually yields a much smoother and better result after electropolishing and reduces the effects of prior processing. One can liken it to applying a primer before painting. It’s not visible afterward, but if not done, it becomes noticeable.