The world of product design continues to undergo some fundamental and even revolutionary changes. Product lifespans are getting shorter and so is the expected time to market. As a result, product developers are moving away from mass production and towards the world of low-volume manufacturing.

What Is Low-Volume Manufacturing?

Low-volume manufacturing involves the production of 50 to 100,000 parts, acting as a bridge between one-off prototyping and full volume production. Here we want to explain some of the unique advantages that this service can provide to you.

The Top 4 Benefits Of Low-Volume Manufacturing

Low-volume manufacturing saves you money

Most people think it’s obvious that manufacturing costs per unit will go down as volumes go up. So if you want to make cheap parts, you should make more of them, right? Not necessarily. If you’re going to mass produce parts – especially for pressure die casting or injection molding – then you must make a larger investment in more expensive tool steel, which in turn needs to be hardened and heat treated more carefully to withstand the rigors of large-scale production.

With this in mind, low-volume manufacturing up to 100K pcs may be a great way for you to avoid a large investment while still producing high-quality parts. If the tool steel doesn’t need to be so durable then it will be more economical for you to purchase and faster for us to heat treat and machine. And, if your tool wears out during production and you need to have another one made, we do that at no extra charge!

By comparison, when a factory is set up for large-scale production it carries a massive inventory of raw materials and equipment. To cover their investment, they usually ask you to place a large minimum order quantity. But a specialist in low-volume manufacturing doesn’t carry the same amount of overhead so we can process orders faster and more economically without demanding any minimum order.

Low-volume manufacturing ensures a faster time to market

As you know, the pace of technological change is increasing all the time and with it the constant demand to innovate. This puts product developers under very real pressure to create new designs or modify existing ones and get them distributed as soon as possible.

Being the first to market can be the difference between success and failure. Low-volume manufacturing is the ideal way for you to make enough volume to be sellable without creating an unsustainable burden of inventory. In addition, with optimized supply chains for low volumes, the lead times are short with parts ready to go in a matter of days or weeks – not months – so you’ll have a quicker route to market.

Low-volume manufacturing gives you design flexibility

During production, you may find some aspect of the design that you want to modify. Low-volume manufacturing lets you make those changes without greatly impacting the total order.

Low-volume provides an option for bridge production

Another benefit of low-volume manufacturing is that it provides a way for you to scale up to eventual full-scale production. That’s why it’s sometimes known as bridge production or bridge tooling. As volumes progressively increase, you have an opportunity to streamline best practices to achieve further cost savings while improving product quality.

How To Get Started On Your Next Low-Volume Project

As we race into the future the value that low-volume manufacturing brings to our customers will continue to grow. We know that low-volume manufacturing will increase in popularity as product life cycles become shorter and markets become more demanding. Learn more about the low-volume manufacturing facilities at Star Rapid or contact our team for a quote. Our engineers are ready to support you through the process.

Related posts:

1. What is G-Code, How Does it Work, and Why is it Important For Your Parts?
2. How Pressure Affects Your Plastic Injection Molded Parts
3. From Prototypes to Product Launch: Questions to Consider
4. Is Aluminum Tooling Dead?

API经济已经成为企业盈利的重要来源，无论是实体经济，数字经济，平台经济，政府机构，公益机构等，API都已经成为继‘官网’之后，把自己接入网络的标准姿势。

什么是API经济？

简单来说，API经济是一种基于 开放API 的商业模式和生态系统，通过API的开放性和互联性，促进不同系统、平台、服务和设备之间的连接与交互。

在API经济中，企业和组织可以通过开放其核心服务和数据的API，与外部开发者、合作伙伴及客户实现集成，从而创造新的价值和商业机会。

什么是免费在线API？

免费在线API是企业在互联网提供的零收费开放API接口。免费在线API一般有几种形式：

1、完全免费：不受任何限制的去使用，例如：百度文心一言大模型（基础版完全免费），天气实况API-心知天气，互联网元搜索引擎服务-SearXng等。
2、有条件免费：限制每日并发、或每日使用次数，例如：天气预报服务-OpenWeather（每天1千次，个人使用基本满足），百度AI文章标签（企业5w次/天）
3、试用期免费：提供一个总的试用次数，或没有小数额的使用次数。例如多语言文本翻译API接口-APILayer（每月100次），实时新闻博客服务-APILayer（每月500次）

哪些行业适合提供免费在线API？

我们先来看看幂简集成整理的免费API类目都有哪些：

几乎每个行业都有一定数量的免费在线API对外提供，供开发者们使用，但具体的免费模式上，各不相同。提供免费在线API品类最多的几个行业分别是：AI技术、生活服务、内容和知识、开发者技术、网站运营、电子商务。

• AI技术类企业，基本都是创新业务，还属于圈用户阶段，所以大部分都提供免费API的使用方式，以有条件免费使用为主流。
• 生活服务、内容和知识，基本都是信息库的开放API接口，属于公共资源的二次开放，所以完全免费的比较多。
• 电子商务，基本都是大平台提供出来的接口，为的就是生态建设，所以它们也以完全免费为主。
• 网站运营，基本都是免费试用比较多，这类企业都围绕几大搜索引擎、几大用户社区开展业务，属于增值类产品，有一定的技术含量或业务壁垒。

哪些商业模式适合提供免费在线API？

所有的商业模式，都适合提供免费在线API，通过免费API模式来获客，但具体到三种免费的哪一种，就要看企业自身的商业模式了，例如：

• 平台类商业模式、生态类商业模式、供应链的核心企业：都需要提供完全免费的API接口，鼓励更多的参与者加入，而不是设置门槛。
• 特有资源类商业模式：大多采用免费试用模式，因为资源的稀缺性、权威性，这类资源能够很快变现。
• 增值类商业模式：这类企业大多围绕核心企业、营销创收类场景展开，都具有一定的刚需性，也大多采用免费试用模式。
• 非核心业务：创新的服务，还不是企业的核心业务，为了防止出现行业老大，一般都会采用有限免费模式，把中小企业、创新企业都覆盖，大型企业通过直销去覆盖。

API产品的营销策略

企业是否提供免费在线API，另外一个因素是其API产品的销售模式、在线营销策略来决定。

例如：如果是线下直销或渠道代理销售为主，一般不会提供免费在API，在API市场上展示的目的更多是为了品牌。

如果在线营销策略以SEM为主，那么免费试用可能是一种好的选择；如果以SEO为主，那么有限试用可能是一种更好的选择。

不同的在线营销策略代表了投入成本不同，那么哪种方式能够更快达到盈亏平衡就是一个重要的评估维度。

API产品的定价策略的选择

免费API属于API产品定价策略的一种，选择不同的API定价模式，对企业API门户系统的要求不同，模式越复杂开发难度越高。例如：每日免费次数+并发限制+年度累计免费次数+优惠套餐包，超出的并发计价，或超出的次数计价。

大部分API市场都提供几种有限的定价模式，如果企业的销售策略非常复杂，就需要定制API门户，只能将有限的几个API放在API市场去推广、获客。

总结

免费在线API，肯定是企业打开API经济的正确方式，但在具体类型的选择上，需要企业综合考虑三个维度：

• 自己的商业模式，或者说商业目的
• 业务类型，同行的行为会影响你的选择
• 营销策略，说白了就是差不差钱与商业目的的问题
• 定价策略，太过复杂的定价策略，反而影响了‘免费’的效果

幂简集成是国内领先的API集成管理平台，专注于为开发者提供全面、高效、易用的API集成解决方案。通过幂简API平台可以发现更多同行、不同的定价策略等。同时幂简开发者社区每日都会提供API相关的知识、信息，订阅API情报即可获得每周的最新API市场状况。

Product Description

H1800 Full Automatic Hydraulic Hydraform Concrete Cement Hollow Block Making Machine
1. Particular storage and description material system insure the feeding accuracy and avoiding the effect of exterior material. So the products have high density.

2. Adopting synchronization vibration insures the products making average. The frequency can change according to different technics. Low frequency in feeding material, high frequency vibration makes the different material to have a optimal vibration way.

The computer is of fault diagnosis system. Warning signal is propitious to eliminate the fault. Combine with long-distance controlling system, it can achieve scrutiny, controlling, diagnosis

3. PLC intelligent control: Man-machine interface, control system equipped with complete logic control, production program, malfunction diagnosis system and remote control function. So it doesn’t need a professional person but only need a simple training to the operator.

4. It produces various bricks/blocks including color-face bricks (layered material feeding),through-body tiles,lock linkage blocks, road curb bricks, hydraulic blocks,hollow blocks, perforated bricks, and standard bricks etc.

Technical Parameter

Product Advantages

Block Sample

Our Customer

If you want to know more details about concrete block machine, please feel free to contact me. 

Solidago flowers can be likened to little bunches of sunshine. The Aster Solidago flowers is a wonderful filler flower to add an organic feel to your wedding arrangements, bouquets and centrepieces. It’s so sweetly suited for adding brightness to any bouquet and is florist favorite filler. Its feathery, fanciful, peppy, and pretty, and it’s hushed yellow hue lends a touch of color and warmth without stealing the show.

Fresh Cut Solidago Flowers

The dark green foliage and bright yellow sprays of tiny flowers make Solidago a wonderful addition to many different kinds of floral arrangements. This voluminous filler flower has a lovely yellow color Solidago Flowers, commonly called goldenrods. makes for a rustic and natural addition to your floral or bridal arrangement. This versatile filler beautifully contrasts its yellow flowers against its green stems, providing the perfect accent to wedding bouquets and centerpieces.

Use

Goldenrod represents sincerity, money, success and happiness. This makes it a beautiful flower for weddings, graduation parties and wedding showers. It is typically given to anyone who is headed toward a new venture. This popular filler flower is commonly paired with yellow flowers or red roses. No matter what you choose to pair it with, Solidago is sure to add a bright and youthful touch to your DIY flower arrangements.

The Yellow Color of Solidago Flowers

Yellow color stands for creativity and inspiration in life, therefore, solidago can be used with other yellow flowers to convey this message.

Wholesale Solidago Flowers

We have a great selection of wholesale flowers such as solidago flowers that you can choose from direct for the farm, as a flower shop, event florist, supermarkets, and hotels, we will deliver to your doorstep

• Available in bunches of 25 stems
• Stem length: 60cm
• No fragrance

https://www.eagle-linkflowers.com/flower/fillers/solidago/solidago-detail

Overview

Basic Info.

Model NO.
JK-F200

Material
Flanne Fleece

Feature
Anti-Pilling, Portable, Wearable, Electric

Type
Flanne Fleece Electric Blanket

Knitting Method
Machine Weaved

Pattern
Plain Color

Usage
Home, Travel, Picnic, Hospital, Bath, Hotel

MOQ
100 PCS

Delivery Time
Within 30 Days

Weight
1.5-2kg

Heating Temperature
30 -65 Degree

Color
According to Customers′ Request

Plug Type
USB

Heating Area
10 Heating Areas

Sample
Yes

OEM
Yes

Voage
220*240V

Transport Package
Carton

Specification
200*180cm, 180*150cm, 150*130cm, 150*80cm.

Trademark
JIEKU

Origin
China

HS Code
6301100000

Production Capacity
100000 PCS Per Month

Product Description

Product Description

Detailed Photos

Super Cozy Soft 2-Layer Flannel Electric Heated Blanket is softer and warmkeeper than sherpa or other materials , featured with upgraded electric wires ,heat up quickly & 4 Hours Auto Off, Detachable Controller ,Machine Washable .

Overheating Protection Automatic Power off at Abnormally High Temperature 

Five Safety Design Protection, let you sleep more secure .

1.Anti-aging Insulation Layer 

2.Temperature Sensing Layer 

3.High Strength and High Temperature Resistance 

4.Copper Wire for Heating 

5.Line Protection Wire 

Application

Can cover your body to keep warm and put on the bed .

Workshop

FAQ

Q1 Can we print our logo on blanket?

A:Yes, of course. We can provide printing service according to your requirements.

Q2 Can you make OEM service?

A:Yes. We can accept OEM service. Also we have our own designer team. And I am sure that you will be satisfied with our products.

Q3 What is your factory mainly products?

A: All kinds of Electric Heated Blanket , Pad , Throw …

Q4 Can I order some sample for testing? 

A:Yes, we can supply samples for the regular items , just need customers supply their FedEx / DHL account or pay us the express cost. 

Q5 Shipping Method and Shipping Time?

A: We will help you to choose the best shipping way according to your detail requirements. By sea, by air, or by express, etc.

Q6:  What about the payment methods? 

A: We accept TT, L/C, D/P, Western Union. 

Q7:  What about the payment terms? 

A:  Our normal Payment Term is T/T 30% in advanice and balance is against B/L copy or before delivery. 

Q8:  What’s your delivery time? 

A:Within 35days after the payment confirmed .

The Dutch floriculture industry is widely known as the leading industry in the world. It is the center for international marketing for cut flowers. The Netherlands has quite advanced methods of production and innovative marketing mechanism. The Netherlands makes up only 10% of the world’s total production but the country’s export volume accounts for 60% of world export (Market News Services, 2008).

It has centennial experience in the flower business. Growers are supported by several services in terms of research and development, and efficient distribution system well connected by air and by ground transportations with the most important producing and consuming countries. The driving force for the success of the industry is related to the crucial role of the auctions and the well developed infrastructure.

Production trends in the Dutch flower industry

The production share of the Dutch floriculture stands at 27% in the agriculture sector in the Netherlands. The total area of cut flowers, including propagation was 3,499 ha in This steadily decreased to 2,809 ha between 2007 and 2008. The number of ornamental plants cultivated under glass, the production of flower bulbs and propagating materials decreased considerably between 2003 and 2008.

This indicates the weakening position of the Dutch floriculture industry in production. The industry shows a correlation between value of production and cultivation area (ha). The production in millions of euros decreased by 13% in 2008 from €9,954 million to €9,743 million.

Despite the decrease in production the labor market in the industry experienced a slight increase in As the competition got stiffer, the number of exporters declined from 1,156 down to 911 between 2003 and 2008 (Flower Council of Holland, 2008).

That could be related to the high logistics requirements to export large volume of flowers, so only big and economically viable exporters could survive.

Export trends for Dutch flower products

The Netherlands play a pivotal role in the world flower industry and trade. The main export destinations for Dutch flowers are European countries, the USA and eastern Europe. African and Asian countries are the main destinations for the Dutch planting materials.

Majority of planting materials for Kenyan and Chinese flower producers come from The Netherlands. Export of planting materials to Kenya and China increased to 17.2 and
36.6% respectively, in 2008, making Kenya and China the 16th and 30th destinations for Dutch planting materials in the world (Market News Services, 2008). Germany,
United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, and Russia were the leading destinations for Dutch flower products in 2007 and 2008.

Import and local supply for the Dutch flower industry

During the last five years, the quantities of imported cut flowers increased by 15.2% and the average price increased by 12.9%. At the same time the locally-produced stems
decreased by 6.8%, while the average price increased by 8%. The total quantity of stems imported in 2008 was 3.7 billion and the locally-produced was 7.7 billion (Market
News Services, 2008) .

Auctions

The Dutch auctions are the largest flower market in the world. Four Dutch companies participated in the auctions in 2003 – 2007. However, in 2008 the number of Dutch
auctions reduced to two. The turnover of the auctions grew in 2007/2008 at an insignificant rate of 0.3 and 4% (Flower Council of Holland, 2008) for Flora Holland flower
auction and Plantition flower auction, respectively.

The Dutch flower auctions use a clock system to determine the price of flower products (Wijnands, 2005).

Stainless steel is a universal material that forms the foundation of innumerable industrial setups. Passivation of stainless steel is a core process in maintaining its quality and longevity.

In this article, we dive into the important questions of how to passivate stainless steel and what is it.

Contents
hide

I
What is Stainless Steel Passivation?

II
Why Passivated Stainless Steel is Needed？

III
3 Steps for Stainless Steel Passivation Process

IV
Common Industry Standards for Passivation of Stainless Steel

V
Equipment Features for Stainless Steel Passivation

VI
Good Practices for Passivated Stainless Steel Parts

VII
Conclusion

VIII
Choose A Reliable Post finishing Partner for Your Passivation Project

IX
FAQs

What is Stainless Steel Passivation?

Passivation of stainless steel is a chemical process to make it unreactive to moisture and oxygen, the primary substances that cause it to rust. The passivation process achieves this by creating a very thin layer (a few atoms wide) of Chromium Oxide (2Cr2O3) on the stainless steel’s exposed surface.

This layer prevents atmospheric compounds from reacting with the iron content in stainless steel, which deteriorates its quality. The results are quite similar to aluminum anodizing.

It serves a very important purpose in numerous industries like food processing, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. where equipment corrosion can lead to safety hazards and great losses. Properly passivated stainless steel also improves productivity and decreases maintenance load.

Why Passivated Stainless Steel is Needed？

The thin layer of chromium (and nickel) oxide on stainless steel makes it resistant to corrosion. However, sometimes this layer may not properly form by itself or may be damaged, leaving the stainless steel susceptible to corrosion. This is where the passivation process comes in. It serves the purpose of forming or restoring the protective layer to the desired quality.

There are several reasons stainless steel may require passivation, some of which are as follows:

–Low-Quality Raw Materials: Impurities from bad quality raw materials may not be fully extracted during steel fabrication. This can cause its chemical passivity to fall.

–Machining/Grinding: Most stainless steel parts go through manufacturing processes like machining and grinding. The tools used in these processes contain iron that gets embedded into the stainless steel surface during machining. Machining lubricants and cooling liquids can also accumulate in surface pits, introducing another form of impurity.

–Welding: Welding weakens the chromium oxide layer, especially in the heat-affected zone.

–Assembly: Stainless steel products are most often an assembly of various parts. During assembly, individual components rub against each other and the resulting friction can damage the layer of oxides, oftentimes to the extent that it may completely vanish at some points.

–Regular Wear & Tear: The chromium oxide layer weakens over time as the part sees various thermal, chemical, and physical environments during service.

All of these scenarios are very common in an industrial environment. Thus, professional engineers adopt a regular steel passivation schedule to prolong the life and quality of industrial equipment, saving money, time, and effort in the long term.

3 Steps for Stainless Steel Passivation Process

We will now discuss the passivation process in depth. Stainless steel passivation is a 3-step process: cleaning, acid bath, and quality testing.

Step 1: Cleaning

Cleaning the stainless steel surface is a crucial step for successful passivation. Accumulated surface impurities can block the passivating acids from reaching the surface, rendering all efforts useful.

Common surface impurities include dirt, grease, mineral and synthetic oils, hydrocarbons, and other residues from industrial environments.

There are various methods to degrease a stainless steel surface. Alkaline detergents and high-temperature baths (up to 65°C) are highly effective in dissolving and removing impurities.

Oftentimes, engineers also check the quality of cleaned surfaces via techniques like the camphor test.

Step 2: Acid Bath

The second step for the passivation of stainless steel is the acid bath. The cleaned stainless steel surface is immersed in a bath comprising an acid solution and some other additives like accelerators and inhibitors.

This chemical reaction removes free iron from the metal’s surface. The main goal is to achieve a high chromium-to-iron ratio so there is more chromium available for oxidation instead of iron.

Three parameters control this step in the passivation of stainless steel: the concentration, temperature, and duration of the acid bath. Different combinations of these parameters yield different results. The engineers’ experience and skill are critical in setting these parameters for the best results.

The most common acids for steel passivation are nitric acid and citric acid. In the following section, we briefly touch upon both of these and offer a comparison.

Nitric Acid vs. Citric Acid: A Technical Comparison

Nitric acid was the original passivating agent for stainless steel that works on the metal by dissolving iron, which the circulating bath then carries away. Its main features are:

• The concentration of nitric acid solution ranges from 10%-50%.
• Acid bath temperatures can be up to 60°C.
• Additives like sodium dichromate and phosphoric can further improve its passivation efficiency.
• Nitric acid makes passivated stainless steel more resistant to flash attacks.
• Only applicable to austenitic and duplex steel grades.
• Highly toxic and dangerous for the environment, requiring careful handling and disposal.

Let us move on to citric acid. It is a relatively new agent for the passivation of stainless steel. It chemically reacts with iron on the steel’s surface but also removes chromium and nickel. However, the prepared surface is well prepared to naturally react with ambient air to form a thick oxide layer.

• Acid concentration of around 10% is used.
• Passivates all grades of stainless steel.
• Citric acid is safe to use and is relatively more environmentally friendly.
• Approved for food processing.
• Passivation by citric acid is quicker and can be adjusted to achieve results in as less than 5 minutes.

Step 3: Quality Testing

The last step in stainless steel passivation is quality testing. The passivated metal passes through some checks that it needs to pass.

Engineers use several testing methods at this stage. One strategy is to create an environment where rusting is easy. This is known as the water immersion test, where stainless steel goes through continuous cycles of wet and dry environments and is constantly monitored for signs of corrosion. Usually, poor passivation leads to visible rust on the surface.

Chemical tests like the Ferroxyl test are also quite useful. It exposes iron by reacting with it and changing its appearance. Also, equipment like passivity meters is also quite popular to check the reactivity of stainless steel.

Meanwhile, it is also common to have quality checks during the acid bath step. Monitoring the iron concentration and acidity of the circulating acid bath indicates the progress and effectiveness of the passivation process.

Common Industry Standards for Passivation of Stainless Steel

Passivation of stainless steel is highly standardized due to its importance. Industry standards by ASTM and ASM are the most popular ones, covering passivation of useful stainless steel grades like 304 and 316 SS.

ASTM

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has two comprehensive standards for stainless steel passivation.

The ASTM A967/A967M standard covers various types of chemical passivation with both nitric and citric acid, as well as electrochemical treatment. It contains detailed information on the passivation process, quality testing methods and criteria, and recommendations for the initial steps of cleaning and descaling.

The ASTM A380/A380M contains detailed process guidelines and precautionary statements for passivating stainless steel parts, assemblies, equipment, and installed systems. This includes various steps of the process like cleaning, descaling, and passivating.

AMS

SAE International maintains the AMS 2700 standard detailing specifications for passivating stainless steel surfaces. It is more tuned towards professional practices in industries like aerospace and automotive.

It provides guidelines and procedures for dissolving iron and other less noble metallic elements from the surface of stainless steel to make it more corrosion-resistant.

Equipment Features for Stainless Steel Passivation

There is a wide range of machinery for the passivation of stainless steel. We will highlight some of the main features of the passivation equipment available in the market.

Size: There are several sizes of passivation equipment from benchtops to large-scale industrial units that can passivate huge parts.

Passivating Capacity: This is defined by factors like the number of tanks, their volumes, and overall throughput.

Functionality: Some passivation equipment comes as a complete package for degreasing, passivating, rinsing, and drying.

Manual/Automatic: Users can choose between manual and automatic units. Automatic units are more accurate, safe, and have intuitive human-machine interfaces. PLC-controlled systems add another level of precision and reliability to the machine.

Good Practices for Passivated Stainless Steel Parts

As with any industrial procedure, certain professional practices enhance the quality of steel passivation processes. Enlisted below are some of the major recommended practices for engineers who deal with passivated stainless steel.

1. Always Passivate New & Repaired/Replaced Parts

Every time a new component is added or an old one is replaced, passivation is a must. A chemically reactive part can very quickly catch rust and damage other parts and also the industrial process itself.

2. Regularly Monitor Equipment

Most industries use stainless steel parts whose passivity decreases over time with use or due to compounds like chlorides. The corrosion potential of such components must be periodically checked to see if they need re-passivation.

3. Separate Machinery & Tooling for SS

It is economically prudent to process stainless steel in a separate environment, where it may be less exposed to iron and impurities. In the long run, it can save massive passivation costs and downtime.

4. Quality Control of Industrial Fluids

An industry working with corrosive fluids should keep their composition under check. The fluids should be cleaned or changed if they become too dangerous for the stainless steel equipment.

5. Adjust Passivation Method to Steel Grade

Engineers must understand that every stainless steel grade is different and the same passivation cycle is not fit for all of them. Thus, some intuition and experience are required to tweak the process for each grade and part to achieve optimal results.

Conclusion

Stainless steel passivation is an important process that helps to keep stainless steel looking new and prevent it from corroding. So, it is inarguably a powerful method to boost productivity and quality of service.

While the process is not complicated, common passivation even can be done at home with a simple kit. If you want production-grade stainless steel passivated parts, then you will need to hire a professional company.

Choose A Reliable Post finishing Partner for Your Passivation Project

For manufacturing services ranging from part production to the passivation of stainless steel, WayKen is your right choice. With advanced technology and a rich experienced team, we can handle all your requirements and deliver results in the shortest time.

No matter stainless steel passivation to all the other surface finishing processes, you’ll confidently get parts with durability and perfect performance. Contact us for your passivation projects, and we’ll give you an instant quote and DFM feedback within the next 12 business hours.

Get A Free Quote

FAQs

Does 304 vs. 316 stainless steel need to be passivated?

Passivation is recommended for both 304 and 316 grades for long service life. While 316 SS does have better corrosion resistance due to its higher molybdenum content, it does not provide enough protection for most industrial environments.

How often should you passivate stainless steel?

The frequency of passivation for stainless steel depends on your industrial application. Parts that are exposed to too much dirt, friction, wear or other extreme conditions should be passivated more frequently than parts in a mild industrial environment. Parts carrying high chloride content, for example, should be passivated 2-3 times a year. Generally, SS parts should be passivated once a year for normal applications.

Can you passivate stainless steel twice?

Yes. The protective oxide layer on stainless steel gets weaker with time and use. When this happens, stainless steel should be re-passivated to restore its corrosion resistance. Depending upon the condition of the SS parts, they may be passivated more than twice as well.

北京时间9月14日消息，今天，著名记者扎克·洛维在节目《NBA Today》中谈到了洛杉矶湖人队。

Lowe说道：“我上赛季一直在说，湖人是一支不错的球队。在西部中，这可不是一件容易的事。如果他们进入季后赛，他们可以赢得一轮季后赛。但除此之外，很难看出这支球队的前景。每场比赛、每场胜利对他们来说都很艰难。”

接着Lowe说道：“也许文森特新赛季会健康，范德比尔特也可能会健康，但他们的其他球员，都是由很多新秀、很多未被验证的球员组成的。如果湖人的主力新赛季又受伤，你可能并不想让这些年轻球员们进入轮换阵容，这让我有点紧张。所以我认为他们的状态和上赛季差不多，这没什么错，但他们并不是争冠球队。”

上赛季，首轮湖人大比分1-4被掘金淘汰。

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在Excel表格当中统计数据时，在大量输入相同或者相似数据时，比如人力资源部统计员工性别时，该如何将这一步骤简化，提高工作效率呢？今天小编就来教大家，设置性别公式快速输入的方法。

首先，制作一张员工信息表，选中性别单元格，如下图所示：

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单击右键，选择设置单元格格式：

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然后选择数字选项，在分类中选择自定义格式，然后在类型的输入框当中，输入公式[=1]”男”;[=2]”女”，单击确定，如下图所示：

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然后我们检验一下，在单元格当中输入1，单击回车即可显示为性别“男”，在单元格当中输入2，则显示为性别“女”：

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这样，用户只需要输入1或者2就可以轻松录入员工性别了：

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那么，在Excel表格当中，设置性别公式快速输入的方法，是不是非常简单呢，你学会了吗？

In the late 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci sketched a simple rolling mill that demonstrated the possibility of bending sheet metals. However, it wasn’t until 1590 that this sketch became a reality as metal workers started using two heavy cylinders to press metals, altering their thickness and shape.

Since Da Vinci’s fantastic sketch, the sheet metal bending process has advanced; we now have several sheet metal bending technologies with different capabilities today. However, one thing has remained constant over the years: the success of your sheet metal forming project starts with you understanding the different bending methods and their suitability for different design scenarios.

Here, we discuss what you ought to know about the sheet metal bending process. If you want to get your sheet metal forming project done right the first time, this article is for you!

The Sheet Metal Bending Process

The sheet metal bending process involves applying a force to a sheet metal part to change its geometry. This force causes stress on the sheet metal beyond its yield strength, causing the material to physically deform without breaking or failing.

The press brake is a commonly used tool to bend sheet metal. It works by lowering a punch onto a sheet metal positioned on a die, creating the desired geometry.

(Sheet metal bending process animation. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Although this process is pretty straightforward, there is more to sheet metal bending than meets the eye. For example, there are several sheet metal bending methods, all of which are similar in function but differ in operation. Therefore, knowing the ideal method to choose is the first step you need to take to succeed with your sheet metal forming project.

6 Sheet Metal Bending Methods

Method #1 V-bending

V-bending is the most common sheet metal bending method. As its name implies, the v-bending method employs a v-shaped die and a punch to bend metals at desired angles. The v-shaped punch forces the sheet metal workpiece into the “v-shaped” groove in the die, forming sheet metals with different bend angles. For example, you can achieve acute, obtuse, or 90° bend angles, depending on the v-shaped punch and die angle.

Figure 1: The v-bending method

Method #2 Air Bending

Air bending is quite similar to the V-bending method: it relies on v-shaped punch and die to bend sheet metals. However, unlike the conventional v-bending process, the punch in the air bending method does not force the sheet into the bottom of the cavity. Instead, it leaves space (or air) underneath the sheet, allowing more bend angle control than conventional v-bending.

Figure 2: The air bending method

For instance, let’s say you have a 90° die and punch. With the air bending method, you can achieve bend angles anywhere between 90° and 180°. This method also ensures a more accurate result since it experiences less springbackㅡwhich describes the partial recovery of a bent sheet metal part to its geometry before bending force was applied. Springback is undesirable as it causes inaccurate bends.

Method #3 Bottoming

Bottoming (or bottom bending) is a type of v-bending that also solves the springback challenge. It involves deforming the sheet metal in the bend region by applying additional force through the tip of the punch after completion of bending.

Figure 3: Bottom bending

Like the air bending method, bottoming offers a precise bend angle control. However, it requires a higher tonnage press than bottom bending.

Method #4 Wipe Bending

In the wipe bending method, the sheet metal is held against a wipe die by a pressure pad. The punch then forces against the edge of the sheet that extends beyond the die and pressure pad, causing it to bend over the end of the die.

Figure 4: Wipe bending

This method offers a good mechanical advantageㅡwhich means it allows you to apply less force to create desired bends (and bend angles). However, it might not be ideal for creating obtuse bend angles as you’d require a more complex piece of equipment capable of delivering horizontal force.

Method #5 Roll Bending

The roll bending method allows you to bend sheet metals into rolls, tubes, cones, or curved shapes. This unique sheet metal forming process uses sets of rollers that feed (and bend) the metal stock to the desired curvature.

Figure 5: Roll bending

Roll bending can form metal sheets into various cross-section profiles, consisting of several bending curves. It is especially useful for creating very long sheet metal parts with thicknesses ranging between 0.004 inches and 0.125 inches and widths of up to 20 inches. For example, you can create parts like panels, tracks, and shelving (typically used in buildings for lighting, roofing, and HVAC applications) using the roll bending machine.

Method #6 Rotary Draw Bending

In rotary draw bending, the sheet metal is clamped to a rotating die and drawn around the die to form a geometry whose radius matches the desired bend radius. This method often employs an internal supporting mandrel to prevent wrinkling on the wall of the bent sheet metal.

Figure 6: Rotary draw bending

The rotary draw bending method offers a few advantages over other sheet metal bending types. For instance, it doesn’t scratch the metal’s surface, unlike the wipe bending and v-bending processes. In addition, it can bend materials into sharp corners with obtuse bend angles.

Related Post: 5 Things Product Designers Should Know About Sheet Metal Prototyping

5 Tips for Bending Sheet Metals

The following tips will help you create accurate and reliable sheet metal parts.

1. Ensure that the bend is located in regions where enough material is present.
2. Use a single bend radius for all bends to eliminate the need for additional tooling.
3. Ensure that the inside bend radius equals (or is greater than) the sheet thickness.
4. Bend hard materials perpendicular to the rolling direction to prevent fracture.
5. Avoid designing features like holes and slots very close to the bend as it may distort the feature. As a rule, you must keep all features away from the bend at a distance equal to at least three times the sheet thickness.
6. Work with a machine shop with a track record of providing high-quality sheet metal forming services.

Gensun Precision Machining is a leading sheet metal forming services provider across Asia. We offer high-quality bending services to companies serving a broad range of industries. In addition, our sheet metal bending services complement our other manufacturing capabilities (like 3D printing and CNC machining), providing you with an all-encompassing manufacturing solution.

Learn more about our bending services.