A machined or printed orthopedic prototype rarely ships in as-machined condition. Passivation, electropolishing and PVD coating are three of the most common secondary finishes Lab Ready applies, and they solve three different problems — worth knowing which one a given part actually needs.

Passivation: corrosion resistance for stainless steel

Passivation is a chemical treatment that removes free iron from a stainless steel surface, restoring the chromium-oxide layer that gives stainless its corrosion resistance — a layer machining can disrupt. It's close to a default requirement for stainless steel parts in a medical-device context, not an optional upgrade.

Electropolishing: smoother, cleaner, and functional

Electropolishing removes a thin layer of material electrochemically, smoothing microscopic peaks and valleys left by machining. Beyond a cosmetic improvement, a smoother surface reduces bacterial adhesion points and is easier to clean and sterilize — relevant for anything headed toward a lab or clinical evaluation, not just parts intended to look finished.

PVD and DLC coating: wear resistance and friction

Physical vapor deposition and diamond-like carbon coatings add a thin, hard, low-friction surface layer — useful on instrument components with repeated sliding or articulating contact, where the base material's own wear resistance isn't enough on its own.

Matching finish to function

The wrong default is applying every finish to every part “to be safe” — each one adds cost and lead time, and not every feature needs corrosion resistance, sterility-grade smoothness and wear coating all at once. The full finishing list, including anodizing, bead blasting and polishing, is on the Materials & Finishing page. If it's not clear which finish a part needs, that's a normal question to raise during an RFQ rather than guess and re-order.