Walter Surface Technologies announced improvements to its Surfox weld electro-cleaning system. The company is offering three new models in the U.S.: the 204, designed for a wide variety of jobs; the 104, designed for production work; and the mini, a light and portable machine ideal for on-site jobs, touch-ups, and repairs.

The company said its Surfox system replaces mechanical abrasion and pickling paste with an electrolyte solution, which provides a safer, healthier industrial environment for workers and a more efficient work process that lowers costs and produces a qualitative, consistent finish on stainless steel.

In a typical application, the worker fills the weld cleaning machine with a highly conductive electrolyte cleaning solution. When switched on, the unit pumps the solution through an application pad, which simultaneously cleans and passivates the part, at a rate of three to six feet per minute. After the electro-cleaning process, the worker applies a neutralizing fluid to rebalance the pH of the solution.

Improved internal circuitry. New inverter boards provide non-stop cleaning, offering higher performance and productivity. The new circuitry provides a steady current, so the cleaning unit has no down-time. This also enables the use of highly conductive materials for new accessories.

More machine settings for electrochemical cleaning. With the flexibility of three settings (on the Surfox 204 machine only), the worker can set the unit to low, medium, or high, depending on the required cleaning level.

A new carbon fiber brush for precision cleaning. The high conductivity of carbon fiber results in greater electrochemical cleaning power, making this new accessory ideal for intricate, narrow areas or tight corners. This accessory is sold separately.

A large graphite insert and pad. This new accessory is ideal for larger areas and for small surface renewing. Highly conductive, the large long-lasting graphite insert and pad result in greater electrochemical cleaning power, according to the company.

Improved passivation tester. This tool enables the worker to evaluate the quality of the weld cleaning and passivation. An illuminated panel displays a numeric value to indicate passivation on the surface. The tester also features data-logging capability and protects data from tampering.

The Surfox system is ASTM-A967 / ASTM-A380 certified for chemical passivation on stainless steel.