Written by Christopher on May 16, 2019

Making Metal That Will Last

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You are working on a project and you need a metal that will not rust or wear out. Out of all the options out there, galvanized steel might be your best bet. A piece of steel is dipped entirely in a vat of molten zinc. The zinc bonds with the metal and forms a coating that is durable and unable to corrode. How does this process happen? Here are the steps that make this product.

Cleaning Up

Before the metal can be put in the galvanizing tanks, its surface must be prepared so that the cohesion works between the iron in the steel and the zinc in the tub. It is alternated between different solutions to scrub it. It first goes through caustic cleaning to rid it of any organic material. It is then rinsed before it is put into a pickling solution of hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. This dissolves the oxides on the steel that might not let the coating bond well. Once this step is complete it is rinsed again. It is finally dipped in the flux solution which will dispose of any residual oxidation then coat it so no other can occur. After this, it is ready to be galvanized.

Coat It

Once the metal is spotless, it is ready to be dipped into the vat of zinc. The kettle is warmed up until the zinc is melted, which happens between 820 and 860 Fahrenheit. The steel is lowered into the kettle at an angle and it stays in there until it registers at the same temperature as the molten liquid around it. The entire process takes less than ten minutes to complete. It is removed from the kettle then dipped into another vat of water and chemicals that will protect the newly galvanized steel until it leaves the facility. At this time any extra zinc chips will be grounded away.