How to protect small steel items
Traditional hot dip galvanizing, where the steel fabrications are hung and dipped into a bath of molten zinc, is not suitable for small steel parts. This is because they cannot be hung on the jig and risk getting lost in the galvanizing bath.
However, there is a way to protect smaller steel articles against corrosion that provides the same benefits as hot dip galvanizing.
Corrosion protection for bolts and brackets
Spin galvanizing, also known as centrifugal galvanizing, is a method of coating small steel pieces in zinc. The zinc coating helps protect steel against rust and corrosion. It’s almost exactly the same as hot dip galvanizing, but slightly different in execution.
Instead of being hung with wires, the steel items are placed into a perforated basket. Then, the basket is submerged into the molten zinc, as it would with hot dip galvanizing. The basket is then carefully re-emerged from the bath and spun at high speed to remove the excess zinc coating, minimising the risk of items sticking together.
Spin galvanizing for corrosion protection
Spin galvanizing is an adapted version of hot dip galvanizing. Therefore, the benefits the spin galvanizing are the same as the benefits of hot dip galvanizing. There are numerous benefits of spin galvanizing compared to other steel coating alternatives such as zinc plating.
Durable corrosion protection
Spin galvanizing involves a chemical process, where the zinc metallurgically bonds to the steel. This bond makes galvanizing a very reliable and durable coating method for protecting against corrosion compared to coatings such as paint or zinc plating.
Reduced maintenance
The enhanced corrosion protection of galvanized steel means reduced time spent on recoating. If nuts, bolts, brackets, or other small steel parts are part of a larger steel fabrication, this helps reduce the need for reassembly of the whole structure.
Reduced lifetime costs
The spin galvanizing process saves money over time thanks to the reduced need for maintenance and recoating from faster corrosion rates.
Environmentally friendly
Galvanizing produces less waste compared to other methods, as it only uses the amount of zinc needed. This makes it an environmentally friendly option, fitting into the principles of a circular economy.
Spin galvanizing companies
Joseph Ash Telford, one of Joseph Ash Galvanizing’s nine UK sites, has a specialist spin galvanizing facility able to protect your small steel items from corrosion. The site also has a traditional hot dip galvanizing facility too, so it’s the ideal place to protect all sorts of steel fabrications, both big and small.
Our Telford site is unique in that it also has the widest galvanizing bath in the UK – perfect for any intricate, complex designs you may be looking to protect alongside your smaller pieces. Whether you need corrosion protection for small fasteners or large steel structures, Joseph Ash Telford offers superior galvanizing services.