Material and Surface Treatment
300 Series Stainless Steel
The gold standard for containers is stainless steel, and Black Forest knows stainless steel. There are over 150 grades of stainless steel. The two most commonly used are 304 and 316.
- Type 304 stainless steel is the most common grade, also known as A2.
- Type 316, second most common, is known as marine grade due to its increased resistance to chloride corrosion.
Black Forest is your one-stop-shop for stainless steel container solutions.
Benefits of Stainless Steel
- Low maintenance
- Resistance to corrosion and staining
- Can be steam cleaned/sterilized
- Long life
- 100% recyclable
- Resistance to contamination
Material Finish
Stainless steel is naturally passivated by exposure to air and other oxidizers, but additional surface treatments often are needed to prevent corrosion.
Nitric or mild organic acids are used to remove shop contamination. Additional information on Nitric Acid based Cleaning/Passivation treatment can be found in ASTMA380.
Standard/Electropolishing
Polishing and Electropolishing
Most surface defects are caused from fabrication. Contaminations from weld spatter to improper storage can be prevented with proper handling procedures. Additionally, for the removal of surface defects, mechanical polishing and electropolishing are available.
Mechanical polishing is the process of improving the surface condition by grinding, polishing and buffing. Electropolishing is the process of smoothing and streamlining the surface through chemicals. The smoothness of the material is the primary advantage of electropolishing.
Manual Polishing