Heat Treat Scale Removal
Will electrocleaning remove heat-treat scale from parts?
Q. Will electrocleaning remove heat-treat scale from the part being cleaned? –M.B.
A. Anodic electrocleaning will be the most effective means of electrocleaning steel for the removal of heat-treat scale. In this case, the part will be the system anode and effectively oxidize the steel. I am not sure if the scale will really be affected by the electrocleaning, since heat-treat scale may take a variety of forms. However, the underlying steel should still oxidize and lift off most of that scale. One potential issue to consider is how evenly the scale is deposited on the parts. If uneven, that same surface profile would be maintained and possibly even accentuated by the anodic electrocleaning.
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