Featured Project: Agriculture Bulk Material Handling Equipment
2011 Award Winner - AGA Excellence in Hot Dip Galvanizing
Category: Food & Agriculture
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Galvanizer:
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 Agriculture Bulk Material Handling Equipment - Springfield, Ohio |
The evolution of Sweet Manufacturing’s (SM) agriculture bulk material handling equipment is a testament to the proven, durable, and long-lasting nature of hot-dip galvanized steel. A user of galvanized steel elements for over 20 years, SM began to expand upon their line of food and grain conveyors.
The new conveyers were developed to be much larger than previous versions,
and were intended to be shipped internationally to Mexico, Chile, Brazil,
and other South American locations. Because of the treacherous nature
of shipping large items abroad, the specifier required a coating that
could survive the rigors of transportation.
Galvanized steel is the ideal choice for corrosion protection under
these circumstances, as the durable zinc coating provides superior barrier
and cathodic protection for the pieces. The zinc coating is tightly
bonded to the substrate steel
zinc-iron alloy layers of up to 250 DPN hardness protecting the steel
beneath. Such strength is important, as the pieces are likely to be
exposed to rough handling during shipping.
In addition to barrier protection, hot-dip galvanizing also provides
cathodic protection, which means the zinc will sacrificially corrode
to protect the areas
around any small scratches ionically – preventing the nick from
future corrosion. Galvanized steel will ensure the piece arrives undamaged
and ready to be put in the field.
The quality of galvanized steel has proven itself to SM, who went from
galvanizing only a few small elements of the piece, to exclusively galvanizing
all possible elements of the conveyors. They now utilize 350 tons of
galvanized steel per
year for the conveyors, which arrive at their destinations with a gleaming
zinc finish ready to perform for generations.