Spectrum's Exclusive Spectra Shield®
Spectrum's own Spectra Shield® is a proprietary, high-quality blend of chemicals formulated to protect all grades of stainless steel from moisture and the harsh atmospheric chemicals commonly found in and around the aquatic environment. As
shown in the figure at right (for clarity, the molecule has been modeled as a red/green/blue dot), Spectra Shield™ works by embedding itself into the microstructure of the stainless steel surface grain, keeping water and chemicals out of the surface structure.
Once the treatment is applied, it cannot be removed with water or other cleaning solutions. It does not change the stainless steel product's surface appearance or feel. Most importantly, it is inert once cured, providing a very safe yet corrosion-resistant stainless steel product. Spectrum Products builds the finest and most corrosion-resistant stainless steel products in the aquatics Industry, and this is why:
Spectrum Products uses only domestically made Stainless Steel from select mills located in the United States. The finished product is the finest because we start with the best steel we can buy.
To this we add an extraordinarily efficient and precise manufacturing process coupled with tight quality control. As an example of the attention to detail, every weld is hand polished to remove surface contaminants that could corrode the product in the field. In all standard products, Spectrum utilizes a proprietary three-step process; we are the only
aquatics manufacturer that can electropolish and hot dip passivate our products in-house as part of our standard manufacturing process. We are adding a third step to this already groundbreaking process; for maximum corrosion resistance, in 2010, we will apply Spectra Shield™ to all stainless products!
We have the best corrosion protection in the industry for three reasons! First, the product is Electropolished by running a large current through the stainless steel in a heated solution, micro-polishing the surface. In the second stage, the stainless steel is immersed in a heated passivation solution, which removes free iron and promotes a chromium oxide film on the surface. The final step is the application of the new proprietary Spectra Shield™ treatment, which will protect the stainless steel at the microscopic level.