There are all kinds of things that make our world a better place, but when you start thinking about what really matters, manufacturing plays a significant role in the progress of our civilization. From moving forward with creating mechanical products to doing what you can to identify and resolve challenges, manufacturing helps people to enjoy the kinds of things that they once only thought about casually. Check out these posts that discuss manufacturing, since there are a lot of things to keep track of. By understanding how different products are made, you can identify and resolve small challenges in your own life.
-
What You Need to Know About CNC Machining for Your Business 16 February 2024
-
The Remarkable Benefits of Utilizing Lifting Equipment 29 November 2023
-
The Convenience Of Commercial Propane Delivery Services 5 September 2023
-
A Beginner's Guide To Understanding Machining Shops 16 June 2023
Creating Manufacturing Changes
Hot Zinc Spray Versus Powder Coating: Finishing Metal Fabrication Without Deforming The Piece
Johnny Murray
Finishing metal once you've gotten the size and shape right is essential as the finishing offers more protection against corrosion, as well as creates a more aesthetically pleasing exterior in many cases. As you've guessed, not all finishing processes are created equal, so you have to be careful choosing a process to ensure you get the one that is most suitable for the metal's eventual purpose. Hot dip galvanizing is a very common process, but it creates a couple of problems that make it not appropriate in some circumstances. Two alternatives are hot zinc spray galvanizing and powder coating, and these both have their own effects.
Why Hot Dip Galvanizing Might Not Be Appropriate
Hot dip galvanizing can deform the metal, because you're both immersing the piece in a hot material and you need some way to hold onto the piece while it's in the hot dip material. That can mean adding small holes or divots to the piece that might otherwise not be needed. If the metal already has holes or edges that allow the piece to be held by forks or poles, then that last issue is no problem. But a piece that needs to be solid and smooth? You don't want to punch holes.
Hot zinc spray still exposes the metal to hot material, but it's not immersive and doesn't make the entire piece heat up at once. The potential for deformation is much smaller. Neither the spray nor powder coating require you to put holes or divots in the metal.
Which to Choose If You Want a Color Other Than Silver
You can choose either method if you want the finished steel to be a color other than silver. The spray will just require another step. Powder coating can be done in just about any color and is great for fast jobs where you need that color-coated metal now; zinc spray will have a silver color, but you can paint over the zinc layer when it's dry. In fact, you can even powder coat over the zinc layer.
Which Is Better at Resisting Corrosion
Powder coating does have a slight edge over zinc spray galvanizing in terms of corrosion resistance, but remember that powder coating can chip, which nullifies that edge. Think of all the metal staircase banisters you've seen outside with chips from rebellious skateboarders doing tricks. If you're going to have something powder-coated and placed outside, you may want to look into additional protection to avoid possible chips.
Once the metal has been finished, it will look great no matter which procedure you choose. For more information on steel fabrication services, talk to a steel fabrication company.
Share