Combined, the pickling and passivation process will increase the life of your asset by removing impurities left after manufacture that can cause rust and structural damage.

Long spools and other items exceeding the 13 metre bath dimensions can easily be ‘double dipped’ to still achieve a full-immersion treatment up to 25m. Items larger than the what can be dipped in the bath can be hand pickled on our large bunded area.

The bath and process systems ensure all stainless steel is pickled and passivated in full compliance to ASTM A380, ASTM A967 and AS 1627.1 and AS 1627.5. All treated stainless steel is supplied with a certificate of conformity to the relevant standards.

The high corrosion resistance of stainless steel and its self-healing properties are due to the chromium-rich oxide layer that is formed on the surface of the stainless steel. Whenever stainless steel is welded rolled, ground and heated the chromium layer is compromised and needs to be chemically treated to prevent corrosion. Pickling is the chemical process of removing a microscopic layer of the stainless that treat heat-affected areas and remove surface contaminants to restore the chromium-rich oxide layer. Although stainless steel does self passivate after 24 to 48 hours, the passive layer is instantaneously formed using Nitric acid or other oxidizers in the bath. ASTM A380 specifies that Nitric acid can be used to descale but it is nowhere near effective as using Hydrofluoric acid in removing the damaged layer of stainless steel in the heat affected zone. Chemical cleaning can be expected to produce superior results. This is because most mechanical methods tend to produce a rougher surface and the detection of obscure surface defects can be difficult to identify. Learn more 

Commonly treated items include; Spools and Pipes, Tanks and Vessels, Cable Ladders, Brackets, Fixtures, Grates, Panels.

For very large or immobile pieces, our team can provide on-site pickle and passivation treatment services in compliance with ASTM A380, ASTM A967, AS 1627.1 & AS 1627.5.

Stainless steel treatments are not only limited to the bath. At our workshop we have a large bunded space for large items such as tanks, that can be sprayed or brushed pickled to achieve a full pickle and passivation treated in full compliance with ASTM A380, ASTM A967, AS 1627.1 & AS 1627.5.