Hot-dip galvanisingSteel has a lot of advantages: it is strong, easy to work, and is available in all sorts of different qualities. Steel has just one drawback: it needs protection against corrosion. Hot-dip galvanising extends its useful life considerably. Galvanising in combination with powder coating, the Duplex system, is the most durable form of protection in the fight against corrosion. |
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The galvanising process
The galvanising process exists out of several steps: after degreasing, pickling, fluxing and drying, the steel materials are submerged in a zinc bath containing molten zinc at a temperature of 450ºC. The zinc that covers the material bonds with the steel, creating an unbreakable layer. Galvanised materials are very durable, maintenance-free and they provide unique protection.
The benefits of galvanisation
The zinc alloy is hard, wear- and chip-proof, and can cope well with mechanical loads. If it does get damaged, a chemical reactionfollows: 'cathodic protection"m which prevents rust in products that have been galvanised properly. Only galvanising provides this unique protection. So cutting edges or drilling holes after galvanising does not affect the useful life of the object.
Galvanising takes place in accordance with NEN-EN-ISO-1461. This standard sets out the general properties of, and testing methods for, the coatings applied to steel objects with hot-dip galvanising.
Because the molten zinc gets into every nook and cranny, even locations that are difficult to reach, like seams, narrow openings and the inside of tubes, are covered with a layer of zinc. There are often problems with conventional protection systems at edges and in corners because the protective layer is thinner there. Hot-dip galvanising actually results in a slightly thicker, high-quality, zinc layer in these places. The edges of profiles and sheets are therefore covered in a way that is unique in its kind.
No material is lost when hot-dip galvanised products are ultimately replaced. The steel and the zinc are recovered and can be used again. The useful life of certain products can be extended considerably by degalvanising and regalvanising them. The small quantity of zinc that is lost enters the cycles of life as an essential element, playing a useful role there also.
steel & steel processing