1K / 2K Finish on Stainless Steel Sheet & Plate

—why is it so important?

Firstly it’s important to look at the BS EN 10088-2 specification with relation to a 1K or 2K surface finish.
The 1K refers to a finish applied onto Hot Rolled stainless steel plate, and the 2K refers to a finish produced on
either cold rolled plate or sheet—and the sheet can be either 2B or from a 2R (bright annealed) substrate.

The specification and advice from the British Stainless Steel association reads;

Satin Polish. Similar to 1J / 2J but with maximum specified Ra value of 0.5 microns. Usually achieved
with SiC polishing belts. Alumina belts are strongly discouraged for this finish as this will have
detrimental effect on corrosion resistance. Recommended for external architectural and coastal
environments where bright polish (2P) is not acceptable.

Having an Ra of less than 0.5 microns (often written as 0.5µm) means that the surface roughness is very fine.
The finer the surface finish the less areas there are for contaminates to become trapped and potentially discol-
our.

SiC, or silicon carbide media give a ‘clean cut’ to the surface finish thus preventing any ‘nooks and crannies’
for debris to sit in. Whilst alumina (or aluminium oxide) abrasive belts can achieve a surface roughness of less
than 0.5µm, they do not give the same ‘clean cut’ finish.

A 1K / 2K finish can be applied to sheet, plate, laser cut

profiles and blanks, and also long products such as
square tube and flat bar.

However there will be some visual differences between

the finishes produced on different products as, for
example, hot rolled material will require a pre-grind to
remove surface scale and defects and long products will
of course go through a different product line than, for
example, a cold rolled sheet at 3000 x 1500 x 2.5mm.

By polishing to a 1K / 2K finish not only is the grain

itself fine and smooth but there is a natural lustre to the
finish. Not only a technically superior polish but also one
with exceptional aesthetic appeal.

When measuring and certifying the less than 0.5µm finish it is

often termed ‘Ra’. An ‘Ra’ finish is the universally recognised
and most used parameter of surface roughness. It is the
arithmetic mean of the departures of the profile from a ‘mean’
or ‘centreline’ and is displayed in microns (µm).

The finish should be measured and certified to ensure it meets

the measurement required of the 1K / 2K specification.

For more information call us on 0121 555 6569 or visit our

website www.professionalpolishing.co.uk.

Your Partner in Polishing.