sw ; Qe METAL COATINGS © et. 60 Galvanising a fe ‘The coating of components with zine. Many components both for offshore and onshore use, are galvanised. Galvanising can give protection to steelwork for periods of up to 60 years dependant on exposure conditions. The components are chemically cleaned (acid), washed and fluxed, then totally immersed in a vessel containing molten zinc at approximately 450°. When drawn out, the zine solidifies at an average thickness of approximately 100 um. | ——7 Sheradising Nuts and bolts and other similar components are coated with this method. Galvanising threads would make a significant difference to the dimensions and workings of fixings and fasteners, so zine powder, just below the melting point, is used instead. After cleaning the components are tumbled in the powdered zinc, impact fuses the zine onto the components and in effect, “cold welds” the powder onto the metal. Calorising Calorising is coating with al ium. Aluminium has a melting point of 625 as apposed to 425 of zinc so it is not really pavCAT to tumble. One way of calorising acbriponent is to dip it into molten aluminium. The resulting exothermic reaction is so severe that is alloys the aluminium with the steel. Calorising can also be done by immersing a component in a mix of fine sand and aluminium powder and heating, Anodising A treatment for aluminium, anodising is an electrolytic method of coating which results in the formation of a dense oxide. The component is immersed in a weak acid bath and oxidation is induced electrically. Electro-plating This is done by electrolytic deposition. If a current is released from an item into a metal salt solution through to a cathode, the metal salts ionise and deposit the metal ions on the cathode bar. Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev 1 April 2004 "EWI won cevrezron Metal Coatings 16.1 Car MetERLS sonic Copyright © 2003, TWI Ltd TECHNOLOGYHot metal seeming Any metal, which can be easily melted, can be sprayed. Zinc and aluminium are the most commonly used metals for spraying. They are both below steel on the galvanic list and so will provide cathodic protection to the steel, and both metals have a reasonable low melting point. Both metals have advantages and disadvantages, for instance zinc performs far better than aluminium in rural areas and alkaline environments, Aluminium is considered to be superior to zine in slightly cide environments and because of is higher melting pont is more widely used on high temperature surfaces stich as exhaust stacks, compressor exhausts etc. where extremely high temperatures are encountered. It is specified for use on surfaces with working temperatures of up to 540™. Application of metal sprayed coatings can be carried out by any of the following methods. Powder system Powdered metal is fed into a heat source (usually butane or propane and pure oxygen burning) and propelled onto the substrate. Using this method a relatively low proportion of the metal powder is actually deposited on the substrate. Electric are system This method is ideal for production line type facilities such as gas bottle production and amp standards ete. where components are of a uniform shape and the process can be mechanised. As in a welding process the metal (to be sprayed) acts as an electrode in a circuit and the electrode melts. The molten metal is atomised and blown onto the component by means of a heated air jet. This system gives a superb fine grain finish. “<9 Wire and pistol system. ow pistol sys aN By far the most common and widely used method for site application of metal spray. The metal wire, of a very high degree of purity, greater than 99.5%, is driven through a gun by means of two knurled wheels powered by compressed air, As the wire, 3mm ~ 5mm passes through to the front of the gun it passes through a ring of burners, with the flames focused about 35 the exit point. The fuel gases used are butane/propane and pure oxygen, The flames melt the wire and droplets of metal are propelled to HE the combustion gasses and compressed air. The coating is usually applied at a thickness of 100 — 1 id is about 85% to 95% of the original wire. This is because the resulting film is in an open cell structure due to ‘vidual particles forming a “fish scale” like structure, the interstices between the particles are not all filled. =— Painting Inspection Grade 372. Rev | April 2004 Svcd lcaims for Metal Coatings 162 Zar NSERAIS ONC Copyright © 2003, TWI Lid TECHNOLOGYIf the coating is to be subjected to high temperature services it will need sealing with a silicone sealer, aluminium or carbon pigmented. If however the metal spray is applied to give an extended major maintenance free life to an anti-corrosion system, then either an epoxy sealer or etch primer would be applied prior to the specified sys . \ : Se Piva) medi ed Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev 1 April 2004 WORLD CENTRE FOR Metal Coatings 163 MATERIALS JOINING Copyright © 2003, TW! Ltd TECHNOLOGYPainting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev 1 April 2004 TWI wont centre FoR Metal Coatings 16.4 ae MATERIALS JOINING Copyright © 2003, TW! Ltd ‘TECHNOLOGY