CLEAN AND CONDITION METAL SURFACES FOR IMPROVED FINISHES

Metal component surface preparation prior to black oxide coating and other finishing processes is critical for high quality results. To achieve uniform coating reactions and proper coating adhesion, Birchwood Casey (Eden Prairie, MN) offers a range of specialized metal cleaners and surface conditioners for different metals and finishing processes.

Machined and fabricated metal components often carry cutting oils, coolants or machining fines that coat the surface and tend to collect in threaded holes and recessed areas. Some parts also carry heat treat scale or light rust. All these surface soils must be removed prior to any subsequent blackening or coating operations in order to achieve good quality finishes.

To address these cleaning challenges, Birchwood Casey offers Presto Kleen® HP heavy-duty powdered cleaner and Safe Scrub® ST biodegradable liquid cleaner. Both are designed for medium- to heavy-duty soak tank cleaning of iron and steel parts. They mix easily with water and operate at temperatures of 120-180 deg F to quickly lift oily residues from the metal surface and hold them in suspension. Their unique blend of detergents make them free-rinsing in cold water, giving them the ability to produce waterbreak-free surfaces that are receptive to subsequent coating operations. Also available is Safe Scrub® M for effective cleaning of light metals, such as aluminum, brass and zinc, without discoloring the metal.

Tool steels, or parts that carry an oxide coating, must be descaled or activated by means of a surface conditioner prior to subsequent finishing operations. For example, most black oxide, cold blackeners and antique finishing require a mild acid surface conditioning in order to ensure uniform adhesion across the part. Most finishing lines benefit from the use of OXYPRIME®Primer/Surface Prep in order to make the metal surface more receptive to the subsequent coloring or blackening operations. This product is available in several forms, both powdered and liquid concentrate, for a variety of finishing jobs, including activation, oxide removal or the formation of a base coat for subsequent TRU TEMP® black oxide finishing.

All the metal cleaners and surface conditioners from Birchwood Casey are available in various size containers to handle small to large scale finishing operations, and offer high quality cleaning capability for use in various types of process lines, such as black oxide, phosphatizing and other metal coating systems.

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