Surface Treatments
Surface treatments are essential in the manufacture of life sciences instrument components, where chemical resistance, cleanliness, corrosion protection, and biocompatibility are critical for reliable performance and regulatory compliance. These treatments help ensure consistent analytical results while protecting components exposed to aggressive solvents, reagents, and demanding operating conditions. AFP applies advanced surface treatments to enhance component functionality, improve corrosion resistance, support biocompatibility, and optimize overall performance in analytical and diagnostic instrumentation.
AFP’s surface treatments include:
Powder coating: in our process, a dry powder (typically a polymer resin with pigments and additives) is electrostatically applied to a metal component and then cured under heat to form a smooth, durable coating. The process provides excellent wear, corrosion, and chemical resistance, is solvent-free, and has a fast-processing time.
Electro-polishing: this critical surface finishing process enhances the cleanliness, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility of metal components. AFP smooths and brightens metal surfaces by removing a thin layer of material (Ra < 0.25 µm typical). Our process performs deburring and micro-finishing in one step to create an ultra-smooth finish that reduces friction and contamination in components such as stainless-steel flow paths and biopharma-grade housings.
Passivation: this important surface treatment is primarily used on stainless steel and other alloys to clean the component and enhance its corrosion resistance. AFP’s process removes free iron and other contaminants from the metal surface and promotes the formation of a thin, protective oxide layer. It is typically used on stainless steel tubing, column bodies, and valve components to improve oxidation resistance and ensure inert surfaces.