FAQs
Hot-dip galvanising is an extremely durable form of corrosion protection. According to the DIN EN ISO 14713-1, Table 2, a protection duration of more than 100 years can be achieved.
The zinc covering offers a reliable corrosion protection which is executed industrially and under defined conditions acc. DIN EN ISO 1461. Therefore, the requirements on the properties and reliability of hot-dip galvanising are clearly defined.
Hot-dip galvanising features unique properties. A metal zinc covering which is inextricably connected with the steel through an alloy offers unbeatable protection against damage during transport, set-up and service. It is durable and resistant to impacts and abrasion.
Hot-dip galvanising is not generally more expensive that other conventional protection systems for steel. The economic viability of hot-dip galvanising is verified through the lack of maintenance required and therefore the lack of repair costs in comparison to other corrosion protection systems. As an industrial procedure with high reliability, it can be executed very economically and therefore with the most cost-favourable initial costs. It can compare favourably in all price comparisons.
Hot-dip galvanising is maintenance free. Therefore, they are one of the least expensive long-term protection systems (because they protect longer and do not generate subsequent costs). It must be remembered that maintenance work in particular generates additional costs and can also cause problems, in particular in areas which are hard to reach. Maintenance free corrosion protection is therefore worth its weight in gold.
Conventional corrosion protection systems mainly suffer problems on edges and corners, as the protective layer is frequently too thin. Hot-dip galvanising has no such problems; the zinc covering is always of a consistently high quality at corners and edges, in angles and cavities.
Should damages occur through transport, assembly or servicing, the cathodic protection is activated, which builds up an electrochemical barrier. Therefore, corrosion does not stand a chance in spite of scratches and damage.
Zinc coverings are also easily inspected by laypersons. Problems are always visible to the naked eye; errors can be recognised immediately and are not covered up. If the zinc covering appears level and even, then it is.
As an industrial procedure, hot-dip galvanising can be executed within a short period of time, completely independent of the weather and under optimum conditions. No time is wasted on building sites for on-site corrosion protection. Hot-dip galvanised objects can be placed under the same stresses as usual immediately after execution.
Metal zinc coverings underline the character and the properties of steel. The metallic appearance of steel remains just as unmistakable as its surface structure. Metal coverings with zinc form a unit with their substrate which looks highly impressive.
However, should you wish for a particular colour - that's not a problem either! Hot-dip galvanising + colour coating = duplex system.
Hot-dip galvanising is definitely an environmentally friendly corrosion protection. In a hot-dip galvanising plant, exhaust air, wastewater, waste products and waste heat are reduced, cleaned, recycled and returned in recycling management production conditions. In comparison to coatings, a hot-dip galvanising process saves up to 114 kg CO2 per ton of steel. Hot-dip galvanised steel is very easy to recycle and therefore reusable.