EPS Process Makes Acidless Pickling a Reality

The process directly replaces traditional acid based pickling lines by using only water and tempered carbon grit to completely remove the scale and oxides from the surface of hot rolled steel. It is environmentally friendly, using no harsh chemicals or acids, and produces a superior, rust resistant surface.

Red Bud Industries, Inc. (Red Bud, IL) and Stripco Inc. (Mishawaka, IN) invite you to attend an Open House at the Stripco facility in Mishawaka during the weeks of June 18 and June 25, 2012, to see their new acidless pickling Coil-To-Coil EPS® Line in operation.

Red Bud and The Material Works, Ltd. (Red Bud, IL) recently completed the installation and startup of the 72 in x .375 in x 60,000 lb Coil-To-Coil EPS® Line in the Stripco plant. The EPS Process is a direct replacement for traditional acid based pickling lines. Using only water and tempered carbon grit, the EPS Process completely removes the scale and oxides from the surface of hot rolled steel. The process is environmentally friendly, using no harsh chemicals or acids, and produces a superior, rust resistant surface.

http://youtu.be/mAZrzYSJBmo

EPS®, the “acid free” replacement for traditional acid pickling, was recently studied for painted surface performance in a side-by-side comparison with acid-pickled steel using state-of-the-art optical profilometry technology. The result was that even though the bare EPS surface is rougher (higher Ra for improved adhesion results) than acid-pickled steel, the very uniform topography of the EPS surface actually yields a smoother paint finish.

A recent ‘high-tech’ evaluation of comparable samples of EPS processed steel and acid-pickled steel produced convincing visual evidence of how the EPS surface texture produces a smoother, more consistent paint finish. The evaluation employed a Wyko non-contact optical profilometer to scan samples of EPS-processed steel and acid-pickled steel. Scans were performed of the clean, bare steel, then of samples that had been chromated in preparation for painting, and finally of samples that had been chromated and painted by e-coat. Not only did the Wyko instrument capture the customary parameters of Ra, Rq and Rt, it also captured 3D topographical ‘maps’ of the surface of each sample.

http://youtu.be/fzAIWpXEwcE

The bare EPS samples showed a higher average roughness value, Ra, than the bare acid pickled steel samples. This is expected, as EPS processing is designed to produce a rougher, but very uniform, surface finish that yields better paint adherence. However, as successive coatings were applied – first the chromate and then the paint – the Wyko scans showed the EPS painted surface becoming markedly more uniform than the painted acid-pickled samples. The conclusion reached is that although the EPS surface may be considered ‘rougher’ than typical acid-pickled, as measured by Ra, it is ‘topographically’ more uniform and this provides a better paint (e-coat) appearance.

Please visit registration-for-stripco-open-house, or contact Dana Kueker at 618-282-3801 ext.#148, or email dkueker@redbudindustries.com to schedule an appointment. www.redbudindustries.com