Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Galvanised iron facts for student project

What are the disadvantages of galvanised iron and how is it manufactured?

Erin T.
student - Townsville, QLD, Australia
2003

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Erin, some questions have broad sociological implications, so it may be possible to ask yourself what are the disadvantages of broadcasting rock and roll music, or the disadvantages of having a public school system, or the disadvantages of inhabiting the southern hemisphere, or the disadvantages of the existence of the Internet. You could certainly write a paper or a book on any of these.

But other questions, such as those about galvanizing of iron, don't have broad sociological implications, and we can only say: "the disadvantages compared to what alternative"? Making the item out of cowhide, making it out of iron but not galvanizing it, dipping it in molten chocolate instead of molten zinc, not making the item in the first place? You have to specify the individual galvanized iron item in order for your question to be answerable.

The manufacturing process for galvanizing consists of taking the iron (or more likely, steel) item and cleaning it, pickling it in acid to remove scale and rust, applying a preflux, and then dipping in molten zinc. You can see some pictures at www.galvanizeit.org.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003