We recently chatted a little about metal pickling, and how it is a fast and efficient way to strip oxidation and impurities from metal before further processing. This surface is necessary for a quality finish in the case of coating, painting, or even further fabrication.
However, the pickling process uses some harsh chemicals and results in hazardous waste which can be costly to dispose of. An alternative to pickling metal can be found in smooth clean surface (SCS).
What is Smooth Clean Surface (SCS)?
We think that whoever named this process did so to deliberately avoid confusion.
SCS is a process used on hot rolled sheet metal which removes mill scale from the surface of the sheets. As opposed to a chemical bath used in pickling, SCS is a manual process, making use of specialised brushing techniques.
The SCS machine consists of a series of brushes through which the rolls of metal are passed through. The brushes spin at around 15 – 20 revolutions per second, their abrasive surface skimming off scale and residue effectively as the metal runs through the system.
Spray nozzles are positioned throughout the machine which reduces heat from the friction produced by the spinning brushes, as well as rinsing off residue.
This eco-friendly surface cleaning process has another benefit which, curiously, remains something of a mystery.
Unlike chemical pickling, the SCS process imparts a level of rust resistance to the steel which means that a follow-up procedure of oiling the sheet to protect it from the atmosphere is unnecessary. How this happens, exactly, remains unknown, but serves as a great benefit for those looking for an eco-friendly metal cleaning option.
We at Steelmor like to remain on the cutting edge of the metal industry, and are committed to looking for ‘green’ alternatives to traditional engineering solutions.
We look forward to assisting you on your next project.
