Metal finishing: Galvanized steel strip

We guarantee the best possible quality of our functional metal products for all our customers. Using processes such as galvanising, tinning, copper plating and nickel plating, we turn strip steel into specialist products for a wide range of applications.

Galvanising (Zinc plating) is a process for coating steel with a thin layer of zinc. This is mainly done to increase the corrosion resistance of the steel. We specialise in electrogalvanising / electroplating, where the steel strip is coated using electrolytic processes. Technically speaking, zinc ions are deposited on the steel strip, giving a particularly uniform and controlled surface coating. This is particularly suitable for applications where a precise coating thickness is required.  

Tin plating is a process in which a thin layer of tin is applied to the surface of metal strips. This process is also used to increase the corrosion resistance of the steel, but not only, as it also improves the solderability of the metal. Tin coatings are particularly important in the electrical industry, where they are used for the manufacture of printed circuit boards and other electrical components. 

Copper plating involves applying a thin layer of copper to the surface of our steel strip. Galvanic copper plating, too, is an electrochemical process in which copper ions are very evenly deposited on the metal surface. The electrical engineering industry is also an important customer of ours here.

And finally nickel plating. When nickel is deposited on a metal surface using electrochemical processes, the surface later offers excellent corrosion resistance. As a result, these products are often used in the electical engineering industry.

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Post-treatments

We always want to be one step ahead. That's why we adapt our metal refining portfolio and our service to current market developments. In addition to phosphating and chemical passivation as well as the combination of both processes, we offer three special metal finishing features for the post-treatment of galvanised steel strip.

• Blue passivation: With this process we provide the galvanised steel strip with increased corrosion protection against white rust. For this purpose, the material is subjected to a salt spray test for up to 6 hours.
   
• C 27 is our special post-treatment with enhanced corrosion protection against white rust. Here the salt spray test lasts a full 72 hours.
   
• The addition of bright galvanising reduces abrasion in tools during punching and forming and improves the appearance of the end products.

With the selective finishing process, we are able to selectively coat certain areas of the steel strip while leaving other areas untreated. In this way, we not only use our resources more sustainably, but can also offer different properties on different areas of the same steel strip.

For example, we can add a coating of silver to specific parts of strip steel that has already been galvanized or refined with copper, nickel or tin.

The result of our innovative finishing processes are precision galvanized products of the highest quality. This applies to dimensional tolerances and mechanical values as well as flatness and surfaces.

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We have been carrying out elecroplating and selective finishing on strip steel and punched steel for many years thanks to our specially designed metal production facilities. For example, in addition to full-surface coating, we are also able to silver-plate very small sections of punched strip.

Our production facilities are ideally equipped to offer multi-metal finishing, in which we apply several layers of different metal coatings to the surface of our strip steel. This allows us to combine the advantages of different metal coatings. For example, increased corrosion resistance, improved electrical conductivity and an improved aesthetic appearance.

Cu + Sn
Coating steel strip with copper (Cu) increases its conductivity. If this is followed by a coating of tin (Sn), the tin layer also increases the solderability of the material.

Cu + Ni
We can also coat strip steel with copper (Cu) to increase the conductivity, followed by a coating of nickel (Ni), for example to increase corrosion protection and as a diffusion barrier.

Cu + Ni + Sn
In triple-plating, a copper (Cu) coating increases the steel's conductivity, the nickel (Ni) coating creates a diffusion barrier and if this is followed by a tin coating, the tin layer increases the solderability of the material.