What is bright annealed stainless steel?

Bright Annealing (BA) is produced by annealing (heat-treating) steel using a controlled atmosphere furnace. This heat-treatment gives the steel a reflective, mirror-like appearance but it may also result in some imperfections and cloudiness.

The main purpose of bright annealing is to reduce the hardness of a material to help subsequent manufacturing processes. It is commonly used to soften materials, minimise residual stresses, improve machinability and increase ductility. Some annealing only needs minutes at temperature whilst others can be at higher temperatures with controlled cooling rates.

Bright annealed stainless steel can be buffed to give it a more reflective finish. It is often specified for applications where a highly reflective surface is required. The resulting finish is referred to as BSEN 10088-2