The Ideal Steel for Fabricators
EPS pickling delivers a clean, scale-free surface that helps make manufacturers more productive.
The EPS process doesn’t affect steel chemistry, so you use the same grades/specs you always have. But after EPS pickling it will have a uniform surface with no contaminants – no mill scale, rust or oil. That means nothing comes between your EPS steel and the welding arc, the stamping die or the laser beam.
This creates a number of far-reaching benefits for fabricators. ➤
It also means that they no longer have to order and stock HRPO, hot roll black, pickled dry or SCS. EPS can replace them all.
Proven EPS Fabrication Advantages
Laser & Plasma Cutting
- laser cuts up to 60% faster than HRPO
- no oil mist to fog laser lens or foul exhaust filters
- no oil, so sheets don’t stick together when destacking, which is a common cause of shutdowns
Welding
- EPS reduces dangerous welding fumes
- no weld site prep (wiping down or grinding) needed
- EPS’ cleaner surface, with no oil, produces stronger, more uniform weld beads
Stamping
- no oil or surface contaminants to foul tooling
- tension-leveled shape reduces springback
- lubricants get directly on the steel (rather than lie on an oil film), so they can perform optimally
Roll Forming & Tube Production
- finished tubes much less susceptible to rusting
- with no oil on steel, roll tooling slips much less
- flat shape + clean surface = better weld
- no need to strip off oil or sandblast finished tubes
Painting & Powder Coating
- better paint adhesion, corrosion resistance than HRPO
- with no oil, you can ‘lean out’ paint pre-treatment
- pre-treatment wash solutions can be changed less often and pretreat bath temperature reduced
“My top EPS user does everything from laser cutting, to press brake, to welding, to powder coating. He says he has no trouble performing any process on EPS. From 14 gauge to 1/2″ and from CQ to Grade 50, anything he has ever done worked as well with EPS as it did with P&O. There is no question whatsoever that for him EPS completely replaces P&O.”
Steve Morrow
General Manager
Southern Metals Supply
The EPS Application Testing Report
EPS processed steel has been tested extensively in accredited labs and on the factory floor. This includes salt spray testing, paint performance testing, and fabrication applications. Significant among these is a series of tests performed to determine EPS compliance with several automotive OEM paint performance specifications. In every case, EPS fully exceeded acceptance criteria.
The details of these tests have been compiled in a single comprehensive report. DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF THE REPORT >
Perform Your Own EPS Trials
Manufacturers wanting to use EPS will often first perform various tests on EPS samples or run trial quantities of EPS processed material through their manufacturing operations. We’ve supplied a handful of the EPS ’tiles’ ➤ to some customers and EPS’d several coils sent in from other customers.
If you are interested in obtaining EPS samples for your inspection and testing, or would like to have your own coils EPS processed, please submit your request using our CONTACT FORM.
