Electrogalvanizing
The electrolytic deposition of a thin zinc coating onto metallic components from an aqueous metal salt solution. The process enables very precise layer thickness distribution for components with complex geometries.
When galvanizing, you hang the workpiece as the cathode in an electrolyte bath and use DC voltage to deposit metal ions from the solution onto the surface. The zinc protects the base material as long as the coating is dense and not mechanically damaged. When welding galvanized parts, you must remove the zinc layer in the weld area beforehand, otherwise the zinc burns and produces toxic fumes and porosity in the weld. Coating thickness and bath composition determine how uniform the coating is – if the bath is contaminated or current density is too high, you get rough or uneven surfaces. For a clean deposition, the workpiece must be grease-free and bright, and you should maintain and filter the bath regularly.