Often seen as the final step in the manufacturing process, which is used to provide aesthetics and environmental protection – also known as metal plating.
There are plenty of benefits to metal finishing, and one of its primary uses is to reduce surface roughness beyond the capabilities of machining operations.
Metal finishing is not just about the actual finish but also the cleaning, descaling and deburring of the material.
Wrekin Sheetmetal Ltd explains the top 3 Benefits
The purpose of the metal finishing process is to alter the surface of the metal. It alters it for good by making it more resistant to rust, corrosion, and wear. Without proper metal finishing, the metal surface can be quickly damaged, with the introduction of chemicals, normal wear and tear, and air pollutants. The lifespan of a finished product can be prolonged as a result of metal finishing.
Enhanced Appearance
Powder coating, plating and silk screening are all processes which can be used to enhance the overall appearance during the metal finishing stage. With metal finishing, you enhance the appearance of the surface of the metal as it removes any sharp edges, cleans the surface, smooths it and makes it look either matte, gloss, or textured.
Not only does metal finishing remove unsightly burrs, but other surface flaws can also be eliminated. Metal finishing is an advanced process, which means you can guarantee that you will get the results that you want. Processes such as metal polishing, glass beading, custom plating and colour application can be applied to different metal products. With decorative options and different textures available, metal finishing can enhance the look of your metal products.
Enhanced Resistance
One of the biggest benefits of metal finishing is that it can be resistant to deteriorating factors. When products are overlaid in the protected metal finish, the product will last a lot longer than expected. When left without that treatment, the surface of metal products will wear and disintegrate over time at a much faster rate.
If metal products are finished correctly they will have better longevity. The finishing process can provide durability and resistance to abrasion which protects against chemical damage and wear, and corrosion resistance. This is so important in industries that require the use of operative machinery that is hard wearing long term.
Easy Cleaning
Metal that has been appropriately finished is easy to clean. Without finishing, the use of harmful chemicals will affect the metal and corrode it over time. Metal finishing provides considerable ease of cleaning to metal products, and the risk of contamination and a fusion is reduced due to the smoothness of the surface. The amount of harmful chemicals that are needed to clean the metal surface will be reduced. Sometimes the chemicals which are used can increase the metal wear rate. The finish will also reduce the amount of time that you spend cleaning it, as it won’t need as much attention as you think.
