Pickling & Passivation

AEKS provides controlled chemical pickling and passivation processes to restore the corrosion-resistant properties of stainless steel surfaces. Pickling effectively removes weld scale, heat tint, embedded iron particles, and surface oxides that form during fabrication or thermal processing. Our facilities include pickling baths up to 6 meters, enabling treatment of large vessels, spools, and piping systems.

Following pickling, the passivation process chemically enhances the natural chromium-oxide layer, creating a uniform and passive surface that resists corrosion and complies with ASTM A967 / A380 and other industry-specific standards. Our methods are optimized for various grades of stainless steel, including 304L, 316L, and high-alloy materials.

Every pickling and passivation service is accompanied by GDP-compliant documentation, including material traceability, chemical batch records, temperature/time logs, and pre- and post-treatment visual inspections or surface testing (e.g., ferroxyl test or passivity confirmation).