5 Benefits of Using Galvanized Steel For Wire Handles
5 Benefits of Using Galvanized Steel For Wire Handles
Galvanized Wire Rope: Manufacturing, Chemical Properties, & Uses
Galvanized steel is produced by coating carbon steel with a protective layer of zinc. To form galvanized wire rope, carbon steel wires are immersed in molten zinc and then cooled, forming galvanized steel wire. The newly formed galvanized steel wire is then fed into a stranding machine, where it is helically stranded to produce galvanized steel wire rope. Due to its excellent breaking strength, durability, and relatively low cost compared to its stainless steel counterpart, galvanized wire rope is a common choice in construction, agriculture, and manufacturing industries.
To characterize galvanized steel wire rope's break strength, let's look at Sava's cable. With a diameter of 3/8 inches, it boasts a breaking strength of 14,400 lbs.
Galvanized steel's durability is thanks to its aforementioned zinc coating. This coating acts as a barrier, protecting galvanized steel's vulnerable carbon core from wear and tear, moisture, and other corrosive elements that are often present in the final application's environment.
While galvanized steel is water-resistant, it can corrode in saltwater due to chloride ion reactions. This reaction causes the coating to erode, thus exposing the underlying carbon steel. Stainless steel, which is naturally resistant to corrosion due to its lower carbon content, offers greater resistance to saltwater. However, due to its chemical makeup and a less demanding manufacturing process, galvanized steel is more cost-effective than stainless steel, making it more suitable for applications where harmful environmental factors are limited.
The Chemical Composition of Galvanized Steel
We've mentioned that galvanized steel is produced by coating carbon steel with a protective layer of zinc. However, there are many varieties of carbon steel, including high-carbon steel and low-carbon steel, and the selection of the carbon steel influences the galvanized steel result. High-carbon steel is defined as steel with a carbon content of 0.6-1.0%, while low-carbon steel, which contains up to 0.25-0.3% carbon. Galvanized steel generally consists of low-carbon steel as the substrate, due to its better formability and ease of coating with zinc compared to high-carbon steel.
In addition to selecting the low-carbon steel, the chemical composition of the carbon steel must be considered to properly apply zinc coating.