Zinc thickness study on silica‐killed 

steel and aluminum‐killed steel

TechForum 2011

By Éric Michaud
History
• For
For many years achieving the minimum 
many years achieving the minimum
thickness required on certain steel parts has 
been problematic
been problematic.
Example: Same part number, DGQ 162
B 2 diff
But 2 different silica contents in the steel: 0.02 and 0.22%
ili i h l 0 02 d 0 22%

Si, 0.02% Si, 0.02% Si, 0.22% Minimum target:

Zn, 60 µm Zn, 65 µm Zn, 135 µm 87 µm
Mtl plant Quebec Plant Mtl and Quebec
An assembly of steel parts with 
different silica contents.

Silica killed steel

Aluminum killed steel
• There are many disparities between 
specification ASTM A123M and the Canadian
specification ASTM A123M and the Canadian  
specification CSA G164
ASTM A123 Minimum Avg Coating Thickness

Steel thickness (mm) 

(mm) <1 6
<1,6 1 6 to <3.2
1,6 to <3 2 3 2 to 4 8 >4
3.2 to 4,8 >4,8 to 
8 to >=6 4
>=6,4
<6,4

Structural shape and  45 65 75 85 100

plates
Strip and bar 45 65 75 85 100
Pipe and tubing
p g 45 45 75 75 75

G164 Minimum required thickness (µm)  for class2*

Steel thickness 1 < 2 2 < 3 3 < 4 4 < 5 >=5

(mm)
Zn min. (µm) 37 57 71 80 87

*: Steel objects  rolled, drawn, stamped or forged…
In standard CAS G164, no distinction is made to take into 
account  the silica content of steels found in class 2.
 A123 G164
4.8 to  85 +5mm 87
+6.4mm Plates
 A123 G164
4.8 to  85 +5mm 87
+6.4mm Plates
 A123 G164
4.8 to  85 +5mm 87
+6.4mm Plates
 A123 G164
4.8 to  Now it is a  +5mm 87
+6.4mm
tube: 75
Effect
• The thickness problem leads to:
The thickness problem leads to:
– Time wasted
– Shipping delays
Shipping delays
– Additional costs: Reworks
 Sandelin Curve

According to 
the 
temperature

Source: Dip Galvanizers Assiciation Southern Africa website

 Sandelin Curve

According to the 
galvanizing time 

• Source : EVRAZ / Highveld : www.highveldsteel.co.za

Origin of the research project
Origin of the research project
• Are
Are we the only ones experiencing thickness 
we the only ones experiencing thickness
problems with plates?
• Beyong the theoretical knowledge, what are 
Beyong the theoretical knowledge what are
the real effects:
– Galvanizing time
G l i i ti
– Alloys used in the zinc: Ni, Al, Pb, Bi, Sn
– Galvanizing temperature 
l
The project
The project
• Submit
Submit samples of steel with different silica 
samples of steel with different silica
contents to a standard galvanizing protocol in 
different plants across North America
different plants across North America
Participants:
• AZZ, Arizona
AZZ
• V&S, Colombus 
• Pure Metal, l Toronto
• Galvan, Montreal
• PBDL, Lac St‐Jean
• Corbec Québec
Corbec, 
• Corbec Montreal
The Samples:
The Samples:
Sample Description C Mn P S Ni Cr Mo Cu Al
Si
1 5mm Plates 0.06 0.06 0.64 0.013 0.006 0.060 0.090 0.02 0.18 0.04

2 5mm Plates 0.13 0.03 0.86 0.010 <0.005 0.100 0.080 0.03 0.26 0.03

3 5mm Plates 0.15 0.22 1.31 0.012 0.041 0.120 0.120 0.04 0.32 <0.01

4 5mm 
5mm 0 14
0.14 0 18
0.18 0 80
0.80 0 011 0.028
0.011 0 028 0 110 0.110
0.110 0 110 0.03
0 03 0 34
0.34 <0 01
<0.01
Angles
5 4mm Tubes 0.04 0.01 0.23 0.008 0.011 0.020 0.030 0.01 0.07 0.05

6 15mm dia  0.17 0.19 0.75 0.021 0.045 0.170 0.240 0.04 0.45 <0.01
Rebar
Analyses par Exova : Lab 15197, Certificat 16471, Méthode OES, Date 2011‐03‐23
Experimental parameters:
Experimental parameters:
Information  on the galvanizing process :
# Plant Acide Al (%) Ni (%) Pb (%) Bi (%) Sn (%)
1 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ HCl 0.0012 0.05 1 0 0
2 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ HCl 0.0012 0.04 1 0 0
3 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ HCl 0.0015 0 1 0 0
4 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ HCl 0 0 1 0 0
5 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ HCl 0.0046 0.054 0.02 0.09 0
6 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ H2SO4 ‐‐‐ ‐‐‐ ‐‐‐ x ‐‐‐
7 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ HCl 0.0015 0.04 1 0.01 0
8 ‐‐‐‐‐‐ H2SO4 0 003
0.003 0 06
0.06 0 476
0.476 0 086
0.086 0 259
0.259
Galvanizing protocol:

• 6
6 types of steel 
types of steel
• Three dip times: 4, 8 and 12 minutes
• Each galvanizer receives 10 samples of each 
h l i i 0 l f h
steel type and for each dip time required.
Experimental results:
p
5mm plates: 0.22% Si
Experimental results:
p
5mm plates: 0.06% Si

Galvanizers using 
Galvanizers using
Ni have to increase 
time in the kettle in 
order to get the 
minimum 
i i
thickness.

But galvanizers 
g
who  are not using 
Ni are subject to 
over thickness 
problems  
problems
Experimental results:
p
5mm plates: 0.03% Si

Galvanizers using 
Galvanizers using
Ni have to increase 
time in the kettle in 
order to get the 
minimum 
i i
thickness.
Experimental results:
p
5mm angles: 0.18% Si

Boxplot of angle 0.18%

0 18% Si (ech 4) vs Galvaniseur; temps In this part of the 
In this part of the
curve the Ni does 
300 not have a 
significant effect on 
2 0
250 th thi k
the thickness 
obtained
angle0.18

200

The dip time is the 
p
150 main factor  
determining the 
100 thickness 
87

temps 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12
regardless of the
regardless of the  
Galvaniseur 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
galvanizer
Experimental results:
p
4mmtubes: 0.01% Si

Boxplot of tube 4 mm épaisseur

é 0 .0 1 % S i (ech 5 )v s Galv aniseur; temps Galvanizers using 
G l i i
175
Ni have to increase 
time in the kettle in 
150 order to get the 
minimum 
tube0.01

125
thickness.
100

80
75

50
temps 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12
Galv aniseur 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Observation:
Tube and plate assembly: 0.01% Si and 0.06% Si.

Assemblage Tube 0.01%Si et plaque 4po 0.06%Si vs Galvaniseur; temps

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12 4 8 12
tube0.01 pl 4po 0.06
700

600

500

400

300

200

100 87

0
temps 4 812 4 812 4 812 4 812 4 812 4 812 4 812 4 812
Galvaniseur 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Effect of the galvanizing temperature:
446°C 452°C
446°C vs 452°C
Thickness of the zinc  coating in um for galvanizing time of 8 minutes
Temperature (ºC) tube0.01 angle0.18 tige0.19 pl 4po 0.06 pl 5po 0.03 pl 6po 0.22 hss0.02
446 77 189 303 70 69 104 65
446 79 217 338 79 71 111 69
446 81 224 370 80 73 117 70
446 84 232 380 85 74 128 76
446 78 195 326 78 88 108 59
446 84 212 365 81 97 121 64
446 89 231 384 84 103 140 66
446 90 240 399 89 112 145 71
452 76 228 328 98 89 162 69
452 79 236 339 103 91 176 71
452 82 248 340 112 97 180 73
452 85 250 353 118 99 195 76
452 79 210 319 93 82 142 67
452 83 232 343 94 89 167 70
452 84 248 360 101 95 169 71
452 89 250 370 105 98 171 75
Avg 446 83 218 358 81 86 122 68
Avg 452 82 238 344 103 93 170 72
Average Delta ‐1 20 ‐14 22 7 49 4
Delta in (%) ‐1 9 ‐4 22 7 28 6
Effect of the galvanizing temperature:
446°C 452°C (Galvanizing time 8 minutes)
446°C vs 452°C 
Individual Value Plot of tube0.01;; angle0.18;
g ; tige0.19;
g ; ... vs temp
pc

400

350

300

250
Data

200

150

100

50
temp c 446 452 446 452 446 452 446 452 446 452 446 452 446 452
tube0.01 angle0.18 tige0.19 pl 4po 0.06 pl 5po 0.03 pl 6po 0.22 hss0.02
Effect of the galvanizing temperature:
446°C 452°C
446°C vs 452°C
Interval Plot of tube0.01 vs temp c Interval Plot of pl 4po 0.06 vs temp c
95% CI for the Mean 95% CI for the Mean

87 110
86
105
85
100
84

0.01% Si 0.06% Si

pl 4po 0.06
tube0.01

83 95

82 90
81
85
80
80
79

78 75
446 452 446 452
temp c temp c

Interval Plot of tige0.19

g vs temp
pc Interval Plot of pl 6po 0.22 vs temp c
95% CI for the Mean 95% CI for the Mean
390 190

180
380
170

370 160

0.19% Si pl 6po 0.22

0.22% Si
ge0.19

150
360
140
tig

350 130

340
120

110
330
100
446 452 446 452
temp c temp c
Discussion:
When adequate time and temperature are applied, reaching the 
minimale thickness should not be a problem for steels having a silica
minimale thickness should not be a problem for steels having a silica 
content superior to 0.05%.

The use of nickel is beneficial to avoid problems linked over thickness 
in the peak region of the Sandelin curve. However, the Ni seams ro 
cause a slight decrease in the thickness in the adjacent Sandelin peak.

The majority of under thickness problems are encountered with 
The majority of under thickness problems are encountered with
aluminum killed plates.
Discussion:

HSS tubes are generally made of aluminum killed plates. Standard A123 
establishes a distinction for HSS tubes. However, when a part is also 
t bli h di ti ti f HSS t b H h ti l
manufactured with an aluminum killed flat steel plate, the standard does not 
distinguish between a silica killed steel plate and an aluminum killed  steel 
p
plate. 

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uChm7mWR2cQ&feature=related
Recommendation:
Get an amendment to standards ASTM A123M and CSA G164 in order 
to add a distinction so that the minimal required thickness on
to add a distinction so that the minimal required thickness on 
aluminum killed plates be identical to the thickness required on HSS 
tubes fabricated from these same aluminum killed plates.
Acknowledgment:
Corbec would like to thank the galvanizers who participated in the 
accomplishment of this study
accomplishment of this study.