Stainless Steel Passivation
Passivation, or passivating, is the process to remove "free iron" contamination on stainless steel that is left behind from machining and fabrication. This is done by means of a chemical dissolution, most typically by an acid solution treatment that will remove the surface contamination, but will not significantly affect the stainless steel itself. If the contaminations are not removed, this could lead to premature corrosion and deterioration of the component. The passivation process also facilitates the formation of a thin, transparent oxide film that protects the stainless steel from selective oxidation (corrosion).
  
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