Appendices

• Most ferrous materials are suitable to be hot dip galvanized, including sound stress-free castings.
• Non-ferrous materials such as brass, aluminium and copper are not suited to the hot dip galvanizing process.
• It is not recommended to galvanize stainless steels.
• Most hot rolled or cold formed steels, including structural angles, UB’s, UC’s, welded beams, channels, welded CHS, RHS & SHS, reinforcement steels and fastener grade steels can be galvanized. In general, the mechanical properties of structural steels are not affected by the galvanizing process.

• High strength steel up to 340HV are also able to be galvanized when acid pickling is not used in the pre-treatment of the steel.
• Steel composition (particularly silicon and phosphorus content) can affect the characteristics of the hot dip galvanized coating.
• Sulphur-containing free-cutting steels (for example S1214) are normally unsuitable for hot dip galvanizing.
• Grey cast iron and malleable cast iron can be galvanized, but special considerations need to be met. For more information, refer to Clauses 2 and 9 of AS/NZS 2312.2.
• Combinations of ferrous materials or surface conditions
• Fabrications containing a combination of castings and steels, or rusted and mill scaled surfaces may be abrasive blast cleaned before galvanizing to provide a more consistent initial surface finish.
• Weld slags must be removed, which can be done via chipping, grinding, or using a pneumatic needle gun.
• Brazed assemblies may be galvanized, but check first with your galvanizer.
• Soft soldered assemblies cannot be galvanized.

The type of identification needed for steel articles influences the recommended method of identification.

Permanent identification

For permanent identification, recommended methods are:

• Heavily embossed markings
• Punched markings
• Welded markings

Temporary identification

Before and after galvanizing: the recommended method is the use of heavily embossed metal tags, generally attached to the article via wire.

Prior to galvanizing: recommended methods are water-based paints or marking pens.

Indentification methods not acceptable:

• Oil-based paints or marking pens
• Stickers

Oil-based paints or marking pens and adhesive residue from stickers cannot be fully or effectively removed by the normal pre-treatment performed during the galvanizing process and will generally result in ungalvanized areas on the article where the identification was located.