MECHANICAL POLISHING AND ELECTRO POLISHING PROCEDURE

1.0 Introduction:-

This procedure define Mechanical polishing and Electro polishing of Internal surface of
COMNAVAC chamber .

1.1 Purpose and Scope :Mechanical polishing of the chamber components up to #6 i.e. 300 Grit /0.4 Ra
Value by using Abrasive method using Bonded abrasive ,Coated Abrasive for
Rough grinding surface and Impregnated bonded and Powder ,slurries
compounds for fine surface finish more detail for type of Abrasive follow in next
section %%

2.0 Applicable Documents :-

Approved procedure for Surface finishing ,

Approved procedure for CCP

ASTM A 380 Practice for Cleaning ,Descaling& Passivation of SS.

3.0 Type of Abrasives :-

Abrasive product
type

Abrasive Finishing Category

Abrasive

Rough

Precision

Bonded Abrasive

Flexible shaft
Grinding
,Snagging
surfacing, Cut of
grinding

Grinding Surface
with Cylindrical
disc

Coated Abrasive

Belt Grinding
with Flap Papers
of 80 to 180
grit ,Sanding

Belt Grinding-Flap
wheel of 200 to
320 grit.

Impregnated
Abrasive

-----

Polishing
Deburring, Buffing
with Mop and
Cotton wheel.

Powder, Slurries,
Compounds.

-------

Polishing Buffing
with Wax
compound for SS
material.

Remarks

Green
Compound wax
bar used for
removing Small
Pits, Scratches
make surface
shiny.

4.0 Pre Preparation Before start Polishing :Before start any work on the job cleanliness of the plate is important it should be clean and free from Grease or oil
marks on the surface.
5.0 Safety First :All Minimum required PPE to be wear by Operator and its assistant.
On the job need to take care for two distinct areas on a Grinding wheel -

THE UNSAFE AREA which is rotating towards the workpiece.

THE SAFE AREA which is rotating away from the workpiece.

The division of these two areas is marked with the dotted line on the above drawings. The workpiece must
only be applied to the area of the grind that is rotating AWAY from the workpiece.
Ensure that you are completely aware which area is which, otherwise could have a serious accident.

Objects being thrown away from a wheel can be traveling at very high speeds, which can result in some
very unpleasant and potentially deadly accidents!
When Wheel parts have sharp corners, edges or hooks, they should be offered to the wheel with the edge
flowing away from the wheel, so the part does not catch. Operators should ALWAYS wear SAFETY
GOGGLES, APRON, GLOVES and DUST MASK.

6.0 Mechanical Polishing Sequence :-

COMNAVAC Plates finished in #1 Dull finished hence need to Start with 40 Grit Sandpaper with Grinding machine
on entire inner surface of Shell and Dished end.

As the scratch is lessened, the grit size of paper is reduced from 40, to 80, 120, 240, and Finally 320-400.
Once the surrounding material is removed, then the actual polishing/Buffing can be started.

As advised by Inox Sample Pieces to be Polished and required testing to be carry out on those sample
pieces.

7.0 Buffing Procedure :The correct pressure must be applied to the workpiece to provide the best finish economically and safely.
Inadequate pressure will give NO buffing action.
Excessive pressure will cause the buffing wheel to slow down or actually collapse. This can also result in
burn marks on the workpiece.
For best results your wheel should maintain a surface speed of between 3600 & 7500 Surface Feet Per
Minute. (SFPM). The higher your speed, the better and quicker will be results
8.0 Selection of Buffing Wheel and Compound :THE THREE BUFFING STAGES
A = Rough Cut To Remove Scratches

B = Final Cut & Initial Polish

C = Final Polish (or luster)
Use this chart to determine which wheels and compounds to use to polish different metals.

BLACK = Emery Compound, a course abrasive material for removal of scratches, pits, paint,
rust etc.
BROWN = Tripoli compound used for general purpose cut and color on most soft metals.
WHITE = Blizzard compound, used for color and final finish of harder metals, has a cutting action.
RED = Jewellers Rouge, designed to polish without any cutting action. Safe on thin plates. Use
on its own wheel.
BLUE = A dryer, almost greaseless wheel - designed to polish without any cutting action. Safe
on thin plates. Use on its own wheel.
GREEN = Used exclusively for Stainless Steel.
9.0 Buffing Wheels :-

THE SISAL BUFFING WHEEL

Sisal is a slender, hard, cellular strand of fiber that has demonstrated its great strength and tough resiliency in the
form of binder twine, cord & rope for many years. These qualities, along with its natural abrading and grease
absorbing characteristics, provide an ideal buffing wheel fabric.
Sisal buffing wheels will provide both polishing and cutting action. They will remove stretcher strains, orange peel,
polishing wheel grit lines, light die marks, etc. To effect a fast cut, use a sisal wheel with the Black Emery compound
or any of the greaseless compounds.

THE SPIRAL SEWN WHEEL

Spiral sewn wheels are the workhorse of most buffing and polishing jobs. Because the plies of cotton cloth are sewn
together spirally, the wheel becomes much harder and more pressure can be exerted on it. This is especially useful
when cutting the metal. The faces of these
wheels are pre-raked to accept compound

PRITESH WRITE FROM HERE FOR E.P..

LIST OF TOOLS FOR M.P.:-

1 FLEXIBLE SHAFT GRIDER

2 ANGLE POLISHER SANDER
3 DYNA BELT SANDER
4 DIE GRINDER

LIST OF ABRASSIVE & CONSUMABLE :1 FLAP WHEEL( 80 GRIT TO 320 GRIT)

2 SANDER DISC(120 GRIT)
3 MOP WHEEL
4 COTTON WHEEL
5 POLISHING COMPOUND
6 EMREY BELT
LIST OF SPECIALPPE:1. COTTON HAND GLOVES
2.SAFTY GOGLE
3.MASK
4.EAR PLUG
ELECTRICAL EXTATION :

THREE PHASE & SINGLE PHASE BOARD WITH ELCB ETC

MAN POWER ALLOCATION:1

FOR 1 TO 3 KL REACTORS 2SKILLED POLISHER+1PERSON FOR CORDINATION AT MANHOLE

FOR 5 TO 10 KL REACTORS 3SKILLED POLISHER+1PERSON FOR CORDINATION AT MANHOLE

FOR 10 TO ABOVE KL REACTORS 4SKILLED POLISHER+1PERSON FOR CORDINATION AT MANHOLE

DEPUTE CORDINATOR,SUPERVISOR,QC INSPECTOR ,ELECTRCIAN AS PER JOB VOLUME CONDIOTION

INITIAL SURFACE FINISH = MILL NO1=Ra>3.2 Micron

REQUIRED SURFACE FINISH 320 GRIT = Ra = 0.3 Micron

Procedures follow as per below stepL

STEP 1: WELD JOINT GRIND & LEVELING IF FOUND ANY PLACE (CLIENT

STEP 2: ROUGH SANDING DRESSING &LVELLING OF SHELL SURFACE

SCOPE)

STEP 3: INSPECTION & DENT MARKING, DENT FILLING BY WELD,

WELD DRESSING BY SANDING

STEP 4: MECHANICAL POLISHING START FROM 80 GRIT FLAP

STEP 5: MECHANICAL POLISHING START FROM 120 GRIT FLAP

STEP 6: MECHANICAL POLISHING START FROM 150 GRIT FLAP

STEP 7: MECHANICAL POLISHING START FROM 220 GRIT FLAP

STEP 8: MECHANICAL POLISHING START FROM 320 GRIT FLAP

STEP 9: FINAL INSPECTION: FINAL SURFACE WILL BE MEASURED BY SURFACE TESTER.

SIMILLAR PROCESS FOLLOW IN NOZZEL CONNECTION.

SURFACE ROUGHNESS TABLE FOR INSPECTION REFERENCE

TESTING EQUPMENT - SURFACE TESTER SJ-201 MITUTOYO

PROCDURE FOR ELECTROPOLISHING OF STAINLESS STEEL VESSELS.

Drawing no:

STEP 1: MECHANICAL POLISHING - IF REQUIRED

STEP 2: SOLVENT DEGRASING- BY SPRAY/ BY SAWING

STEP 3: D.M WATER RINSE

STEP 4: ALKLING DEAGREASING- BY SWABING METHOD

STEP 5: HIGH PRESSUR WATER JET CLEANING BY D.M WATER

STEP 6: ELECTROPOLISHING BY BRUSH METOD

STEP 7: HOT WATER RINSEING BY D.M WATER

STEP 8: 10% NITRIC WASH

STEP 9: HOT WATER RINSEING

STEP 10: HOT AIR DRYING

STEP 11: INSPECTION

Electropolishing is used for polishing of metal parts. The principle is just the reverse of that of electroplating. The
workpiece is made the anode in an electrolyte, with a cathode added to complete the electrical circuit. In the resulting
deplating, material is removed most rapidly from raised, rough spots, producing a very smooth, polished surface (Ref 12).
During the process, products of anodic metal dissolution react with the electrolyte to form a film at the metal surface.
Two types of films have been observed: a viscous liquid and an anodically discharged gas, usually oxygen (Ref 13).
Neither film adheres closely to the microroughness of a metal surface, and both types conform to the macrocontour.
Therefore, the film is essentially thinner over microprojections and thicker at microdepressions. Resistance to electric
current flow over the microprojections is less, so more current can flow over the microprojections than in the
microdepressions. The result is a more rapid dissolution process at the projections, causing microleveling of the surface.
This gives a metal surface with so little scattering of incident light that a mirror-like glossy appearance is obtained.
This process is primarily used for obtaining mirror-like surfaces from highly smooth initial surfaces. A final finish of less
than 0.05 m can be obtained if the initial surface roughness (root mean square) does not exceed 0.18 to 0.20 m.
Electropolishing was primarily developed for polishing metallurgical specimens and for polishing of irregular shapes that
were difficult to buff. Now electropolishing is used for polishing stainless steel sheets and parts.
Steels are electropolished for one or more of the following purposes:
Improve appearance and reflectivity
Improve resistance to corrosion
Prepare metals for plating, anodizing, or conversion coating
Remove edge burrs produced by mechanical cutting tools
Remove the stressed and disturbed layer of surface metal caused

by the cutting, smearing, and tearing

action of mechanical stock removal or of abrasive finishing
Inspect for surface imperfections in cast, forged, or wrought metal

Remove excess

material as desired for milling metal parts

Electropolishing is an electrochemical process for removing metal. Etching, deburring, smoothing, coloring, and

machining are typical electropolishing processes. The removal of metal is done anodically in an acid or alkaline solution.
During the process, products of anodic metal dissolution react with the electrolyte to form a film at the metal surface.
Two types of films have been observed: (a) a viscous liquid that is nearly saturated, or is supersaturated, with the
dissolution products; and (b) anodically discharged gas, usually oxygen. Both types of films exist simultaneously in most
commercial electropolishing solutions. The gas appears to be a blanket on the outside of the viscous film. Which type of
film predominates depends on (a) the kind of metal, (b) the nature of the electrolyte, and (c) the surface condition prior to
electropolishing (i.e., surface contamination, grain size, inclusions).
The most widely used electropolishing solutions for steels contain one or more of the concentrated inorganic acids-sulfuric, phosphoric, and chromic. Table 11 lists conditions for electropolishing alloy steels in acid electrolytes. Some of
the steel products that undergo electropolishing are low-alloy (4130, 4140, and similar steels) automotive piston rings,
crankpins, cotton-picker spindles, hand tools, gears, television chassis, and paper knives
Using Electrolyte as Suphuric acid H2 So4
Phosperic acid H3 Po4
Chromic Acid H2 Cr o4
And additives
With 120 to 150 Amp . Rectifiers