ADVANTAGES OF HOT DIP GALVANIZING FASTENERS
- Compared to alternative protective coatings, hot-dip galvanizing does offer a longer service life. Hot-dip galvanizing outperforms competing protective coatings in a number of other areas in addition to having a longer service life. I shall compare hot-dip galvanizing to zinc plating, mechanical galvanizing, painting, and epoxy coating in this essay. Bolts and other fasteners are distinctive because they frequently have numerous curved surfaces, edges, or corners. Because the method generates the zinc coating through a metallurgical reaction, hot-dip galvanizing offers homogeneous coatings on these surfaces. During this reaction, the coating grows perpendicular to the base steel, resulting in coatings on corners and edges that are at least as thick as those on flat surfaces.
- While hot-dip galvanizing results in coating thicknesses that are homogeneous, mechanical galvanizing involves a deposition process. To deposit the coating on the steel surface during the mechanical galvanizing process, glass beads must peen the zinc onto the base steel.
- Bolt heads and threads are both naturally curved with several edges and corners. These areas are susceptible to corrosion first if they are not sufficiently covered. Due to decreased fastening strength, corrosion on threads might compromise the safety, whilst corrosion on bolt heads can result in rounder heads that are simple to strip. To guarantee a consistent coating over the length of the bolt or other fasteners, coating uniformity is crucial.
- Because of its metallurgical response, hot-dip galvanizing offers a built-in quality control mechanism. The galvanized coating will not form on a dirty steel surface. Because the base steel is exposed to the exact same process variables at the same time, homogeneous coatings develop as long as the surface is clean. The coatings on mechanically galvanized bolts may not be effectively compacted, leading to the potential for bare patches, while epoxy-coated bolts may have voids or holidays during the curing process. As a result, epoxy-coated bolts may start to corrode even before they leave the manufacturing site.
- Corrosion protection for zinc coatings is correlated with the zinc content of the base steel. More corrosion protection is provided by thicker coatings. Zinc plating frequently results in extremely thin coatings that are only appropriate for indoor applications. Higher coating densities offer more zinc per surface area and, as a result, offer more protection against corrosion. Compared to mechanical galvanizing or zinc plating, the hot-dip galvanizing technique yields coatings with a higher density.?
- The coating's longevity is a crucial factor to take into account while choosing protective coatings. During processing, bolts and other fasteners are frequently handled repeatedly, which raises the potential of coating abrasion. The corrosion process can be sped up by scraping the coating of the basic steel before fixing it. Hot-dip galvanized coatings have iron-zinc alloy layers that are harder than the base steel itself, giving them exceptional abrasion resistance. The hardness of other zinc coatings is, at best, just half that of the base steel. All zinc coatings offer cathodic protection to the base steel when the coating is scratched in addition to the substantial barrier protection that galvanized steel offers.
- In conclusion, hot-dip galvanizing offers improved coating of edges, corners, and threads, higher coating densities, increased abrasion resistance, and greater bond strength in addition to having a longer service life than competing protective coatings.
