Steel strapping is essential for a fair amount of industrial shipments, especially if items need to be bound together for safe transport. While there are several different types of strapping, one of the most effective is galvanized steel.
Suppliers choose galvanized steel strapping for a number of reasons, but most often because it’s effective and durable in extreme conditions. How does it perform so effectively? Here are a few things you might want to know about the galvanizing process.
Pre-inspection Is the First Step
When structural steel is fabricated, it must go through a series of inspections to ensure it meets all of the proper specifications for galvanizing. This includes checking for properly placed venting holes and drainage outlets. In addition, the steel must be structurally sound enough to retain an effective coating.
Cleaning Comes Next
Cleaning stainless steel surfaces in a home might be easy, but before galvanization, steel must go through a more intense cleaning process. Steel and zinc will not bond unless certain conditions are met, and thus the intensity of the cleaning process. The steel, once inspected, is submerged in a caustic solution to clear away any grease or dirt. After that, the steel is placed into a hydrochloric or sulfuric acid bath to remove any rust that might be present. From there it is submerged yet again into a bath that helps promote the steel’s reaction with zinc.
Galvanizing the Steel
Galvanizing is the process that bonds the zinc coating to steel after it has been prepared. The zinc is heated to 850 degrees Fahrenheit and kept at that temperature so it remains molten. Once the steel has come out of the final bath, it is submerged into the molten zinc, where the two will react and form a protective coating over the steel.
One Last Inspection
Even after all of the preparation and actual galvanization process, the steel must still go through yet another inspection. The steel, after being galvanized, is subjected to a sight-inspection, as well as measurements to determine the coating’s thickness. Uniformity is one of the key elements sought out in a post-galvanized inspection.
Steel strapping is manufactured in a variety of sizes running from 3/8″ x .015 to 3/4″ x 0.30. But no matter the size, all sizes must go through this process for galvanization.
