Galvanneal is a steel product coated in iron and zinc, used for automobiles, building structures, and ships. It is created through a process of galvanizing and annealing, resulting in a dull gray coating that resists corrosion and is easy to paint. Galvannealed steel is more expensive but offers high performance, safety, and reliability, making it ideal for automotive manufacturing.
Galvanneal is a carbon steel product coated in a mixture of iron and zinc. This steel product is most famous for making automobiles, although it also has a wide range of other uses, including building structures and ships. Steel mills produce galvanneal upon customer request, and some manufacturing plants can make their own galvanneal to control each step of the process.
The term “galvanneal” is a portmanteau of “galvanized” and “annealed.” Annealing is a process in which metal undergoes a heat treatment to force it to develop specific desired properties. Galvanizing is a process in which metal is coated in a material that will help it resist corrosion. Zinc is classically used for galvanizing. The blend of these two processes is designed to give galvanized steel some unique and highly desirable properties that make it ideal for a wide variety of applications.
In electroplating, the steel is first dipped in a hot bath of zinc, as occurs when materials are galvanized. Then, it goes through a secondary process where the iron is annealed with the zinc coating to create an iron-zinc blend on the surface of the metal. The galvanneal coating is a dull gray color, unlike the distinctive sequin coating seen on galvanized metals with zinc only. The coating should also remain firmly adhered to the metal for its entire life due to the heat treatment process.
Galvanneal is available in a variety of thicknesses, including custom sizes that can be created upon request in a steel mill. The dull gray surface of galvanneal is very easy to paint, making it attractive for applications where metal will be painted, such as automotive manufacturing. The metal will also resist corrosion. Over time, however, corrosion can develop. Damage to the coating surface can expose the underlying steel, allowing rust to set in. Some causes of damage include highly corrosive chemicals, scratches and collisions.
Galvannealing is a complicated process with a number of steps and a number of areas where the process can go wrong, rendering the steel unusable. Special equipment is also required to complete the process. As a result, galvanized steel is more expensive than steel that hasn’t been machined this way. This product is used when high performance, safety and reliability are desired. Cars, for example, must meet a number of safety standards, and galvanized steel contributes to safety goals for automakers.
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