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Perhaps the most critical choice made in the design of fabrication connections is how to protect the fasteners from corrosion. Hot-dip galvanizing delivers long-term, maintenance-free corrosion protection in a variety of exposure conditions. Whether used in atmospheric, concrete, soil or fresh- or saltwater applications, hot-dip galvanizing allows for maximum service-life to first maintenance. There will be no difficult field repairs and no labor and material costs associated with those repairs.
Hot-dip galvanized coatings have a proven performance under numerous environmental conditions. Zinc coatings corrosion resistance is linearly related to the thickness of the coating, which is a function of the chemistry and thickness of the fastener material. The thicker the coating, the longer the barrier and cathodic protection delivered. Galvanized coatings are much thicker than zinc-plated coatings and painted coatings offer only barrier protection. The excellent performance of hot-dip galvanized fasteners, steel products and structures has been measured since the mid1920s. For fasteners galvanized to ASTM A 153/A 153 M (Zinc Coating [Hot-Dip] on Iron and Steel Hardware) or G 164-M 92 (Hot-Dip Galvanizing of Irregularly Shaped Articles), first maintenance will not be required for many years. Should maintenance be required to ensure extended protection in an aggressive environment, a guide is provided to help plan the scheduled maintenance. (See Figure 1 Life of Protection vs. Thickness of Zinc and Type of Atmosphere.)
involves immersion in a series of solutions. The first solution is a caustic (hot alkali) solution to remove organic contaminants. Following thorough rinsing, the fasteners are pickled in a dilute acid solution to remove scale and rust. Rinsing follows again and then the third and final cleaning step, fluxing, takes place. Fluxing removes oxides and prevents further oxides from forming prior to the actual hot-dip galvanizing. In hot-dip galvanizing, fasteners are placed
in a perforated metal basket and completely immersed in molten zinc. Once the metallurgical reaction is complete and the fasteners are completely coated, the zinc is drained from the basket. The basket is then spun to remove excess zinc, ensuring a smooth coating and buildup-free threads. Inspection is the final step in the sequence conducted at the galvanizers plant. With proper cleaning, inspection is simple. If the coating looks good, it is good. The metallurgical reaction has taken place and the steel fasteners are completely covered with corrosion-protecting zinc.
cult to damage. Painted and zincplated coatings have a typical bond strength of only a few hundred PSI and are easily scratched and removed. Hardness hot-dip fasteners have ironzinc alloy layers in the coating that are almost
(100% Zn) 70 DPN Hardness (94% Zn 6% Fe) 179 DPN Hardness (90% Zn 10% Fe) 244 DPN Hardness (75% Zn 25% Fe) 250 DPN Hardness
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twice as hard as the base steel itself. This abrasion resistance makes the galvanized coating difficult to damage during tightening. Zincplated fasteners have only a pure zinc layer (no alloy layers) that is one-half as hard as the base steel, making damage likely during tightening. Paints are generally very soft and easily damaged during installation.
250
3.9 mils of zinc coating is the minimum thickness for 1/4" thick structural steel, as governed by ASTM A 123-01, Standard Specification for Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel Products
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Temperature range hot-dip fasteners perform well across a broad temperature range from continuous exposure in the arctic climates to the extremes of 392F (200C) in processing plants. Paintable prepared according to ASTM D 6386 (Practice for Preparation of Zinc [Hot-Dip] Galvanized Coated Iron and Steel Product and Hardware Surfaces for Painting), hot-dip coatings are successfully painted, providing long-lasting underfilm corrosion protection. Zinc-plated fasteners can similarly be painted.
Applicability hot-dip galvanizing is a factory-controlled process, independent of weather conditions. Touch-up in the field is rarely necessary. However, should field touch-up or repair of the galvanized coating be needed, zinc coatings can be repaired following the guidelines of ASTM A 780 (Practice for Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings). Corner and edge protection the formation of the ironzinc metallic layers is a vertical reaction; thus, all edges and corners have at least as much zinc coating thickness as flat surfaces, providing added corrosion benefits over other types of coatings. Fasteners that are zinc-plated or painted have very little zinc or paint on the edges and corners. Corrosion typically starts on these edges and corners. Outdoor applications the thicker zinc coating on hot-dip fasteners translates into excellent performance in extreme weather and atmospheric conditions. Larger connections are most commonly hot-dip galvanized. Zinc-plated fasteners, with a thin zinc coating, are well suited to inside applications and economical for very small connections and nails, but not appropriate for performance outside.