▁the ▁c ath ode ▁pl ates ▁without ▁dam aging ▁them . ▁The ▁machines ▁also ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁red es igned ▁to ▁allow ▁for ▁w ax ing ▁the ▁sides ▁and ▁bottom s ▁of ▁the ▁c ath ode ▁pl ates ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁next ▁co pper ▁c ath ode ▁sheets ▁to ▁be ▁removed ▁easily . ▁ ▁The ▁stri pping ▁machines ▁included ▁receiving ▁and ▁dis charge ▁convey ors , ▁was hing , ▁separation , ▁c ath ode ▁stack ing ▁and ▁dis charg ing , ▁c ath ode ▁plate ▁separation ▁for ▁ref urb ishing , ▁and ▁the ▁w ax ▁applications ▁for ▁the ▁sides ▁and ▁bottom s ▁of ▁the ▁c ath ode ▁pl ates . ▁▁ ▁The ▁original ▁C RL ▁stri pping ▁machine ▁had ▁the ▁cap ability ▁of ▁stri pping ▁ 2 5 0 ▁c ath ode ▁pl ates ▁per ▁hour . ▁ ▁The ▁lower ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁c ath ode ▁pl ates ▁compared ▁to ▁st arter ▁sheets ▁means ▁that ▁shorter ▁c ath ode ▁cycle ▁times ▁are ▁possible . ▁The ▁cycle ▁time ▁can ▁range ▁from ▁ 5 ▁to ▁ 1 4 ▁days , ▁but ▁a ▁seven - day ▁c ath ode ▁cycle ▁is ▁common . ▁This ▁shorter ▁cycle ▁time ▁impro ves ▁current ▁efficiency ▁as ▁less ▁short ▁circ uits ▁occur ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁less ▁nod ulation ▁of ▁the ▁c ath ode ▁surface . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁other ▁ref in ery ▁operators ▁regarded ▁the ▁develop ments ▁at ▁C RL ▁with ▁s cept ic ism . ▁St ain less ▁steel ▁had ▁been ▁tried ▁un success fully ▁as ▁mother - plate