Anodizing type 304 stainless steel 1

[cmlr]

Hi all,

I am a control systems engineer, and have no knowledge of material engineering whatsoever.

We are currently working on a project for a water treatment plant where all control panels have to be made from type 316L stainless steel. Even though type 316L enclosures are widely available, the window kits our client specified to be installed are only available in type 304 stainless steel. Now the client has told us that they want to have the type 304 window kits anodized.

Can someone please tell me what the effect of anodizing is, and how this will help our application?
I am also curious what the main differences between type 316L and type 304 stainless steel are.

As said before I am not a materials engineer, but since we do a lot of projects for water treatment plants this knowledge will be helpful to me.

Thanks to all
Caspar

 

[EdStainless]

Anodizing is an electrochemical process that forms an oxide layer on the metal. In stainless this seriously decreases the corrosion resistance of the metal. The oxide that forms is mostly chromium oxide, which leaves the metal just below the anodized layer depleted of Cr and more easily corroded.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[KENAT]

http://www.finishing.com/245/20.shtml

has some info that may be of use.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484

 

[israelkk]

The correct chemical treatment for stainless steels is called passivating. Anodizing is the ususal term for chemical treatment of Aluminum alloys.