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Handles, earth clamps, brushes, electrolyte and the containers that go with an electrochemical stainless steel weld cleaning machine.
An electrochemical weld cleaner removes the heat tint left around stainless steel welds. A low-voltage power unit sends current through a brush that is wetted with electrolyte, and the brush is worked over the weld. The workpiece forms part of the circuit, so a good earth connection matters. The process also leaves the surface passivated.The working parts are the handle and lead, the earth clamp and lead, a carbon fibre brush, and the electrolyte. Smaller items such as a spray bottle for water, a container for electrolyte and a spanner for the brush fittings support the job. All of these wear or get used up, so keep spares.
Heat tint is the coloured oxide layer that forms beside a weld, and beneath it the surface is short of chromium. The oxide scale and the chromium-depleted layer formed during welding must be removed to restore the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, and methods which often leave the depleted layer in place, such as hand wire brushing, are less effective.Electrochemical cleaning is one of the ways of cleaning welds after welding. Whether it is enough for a given job depends on the material, the environment the part will be used in and any specification that applies, so check the requirements before relying on it.
The acids used in electrochemical cleaning are mild compared with those in pickling pastes, but a chemical risk assessment is still needed, and it should consider whether PPE is necessary. Read the safety data sheet for the electrolyte you use, as many are acid-based and can harm skin and eyes.Typical measures are chemical-resistant gloves, eye or face protection and suitable clothing, but the safety data sheet and your assessment decide what you need. Control any fumes with extraction where the assessment says so, and keep water close by for splashes. Never use a different liquid in place of the electrolyte the maker specifies.
Pickling pastes typically contain hydrofluoric and nitric acid and can cause serious burns, and where post-weld cleaning cannot be avoided a less hazardous alternative should be considered. Electrochemical cleaning, with the workpiece as the anode in a dilute acid electrolyte, is one such alternative.That does not make it risk free. The electrolyte is still an acid, a chemical risk assessment is still needed, and you should follow the safety data sheet. It also does not suit every job, so check what the specification for your work requires.
Electrolyte should not be left on the surface once the weld has been cleaned. Residues are simply rinsed off with water, and a spray bottle of clean water is a simple way to rinse the area and the brush without flooding the work. Dry the surface afterwards.Some electrolyte systems also use a separate neutraliser as a final step, so check what the instructions and safety data sheet for your electrolyte call for. Dispose of used liquid and rinse water according to the safety data sheet and local rules.
Use the electrolyte the machine and brush are intended for. The electrolyte, brush and power unit are designed as a system, and the brush may be matched to a particular electrolyte. A different chemical may clean poorly, damage the brush or harm the metal, and it changes the hazards you have assessed.Some products are described as all-in-one, covering cleaning and passivation in a single liquid, while others use separate liquids for different jobs. Check the manual for what your machine needs. Never mix electrolytes, and always read the safety data sheet of the one you use.