How Much Is Hot Dip Galvanizing?

Sometimes thought to be more cost prohibitive, at least initially, than other corrosion protection solutions, the American Galvanizers Association (AGA) has conducted a cost case study wherein the initial and lifecycle costs of hot-dip galvanized steel were compared to other methods. Let’s take a look at the findings.

General Galvanizing Plant

AGA Cost Case Study 

The parameters:

• Typical mix of steel shapes/sizes
• 50,000 square foot short-span bridge
• 75-year design life
• Moderately Industrial (C3) Environment

Using the AGA Life-Cycle Cost Calculator, a quantitative analysis was conducted comparing hot-dip galvanizing to four paint systems, as well as a duplex system and metallizing with defined maintenance schedules.

Initial Cost:

Including materials (paint, metallizing, etc.), the number of coats, the surface prep cleaning method (painted systems: SP-10; duplex: SP-16/ASTM D6386; metallizing: standard near white metal), where the application was performed, and labor costs versus galvanizing’s all-inclusive price:

These findings indicate that when all the costs are considered, galvanizing is often less expensive and at the very least, exceedingly competitive with other coating systems.

Life Cycle Cost:

Utilizing a practical maintenance cycle over the prescribed 75-year lifetime of the project based on Net Future Value (NFV) and Net Present Value (NPV) calculations at 3% inflation and 2% interest, and accounting for a very unlikely needed maintenance paint with an inorganic zinc at year 70 for the galvanized steel:

Even with the one maintenance cycle near the end of the life of the project, hot-dip galvanizing was proven to have a significantly more economical lifecycle than that of the other coating systems.

Galvanized Steel Protects Your Investment 

To maximize return on investment, it’s critical that buyers ensure the longevity of their purchase. Enhanced over 200 years, galvanizing is a process that best protects steel for long-lasting, corrosion-free performance. In fact, galvanized components can potentially last up to a century without the need for costly maintenance, delivering a significantly lower lifecycle cost, especially when compared to alternatives like stainless steel, aluminum, and epoxy coating. And research suggests that non-galvanized structures incur indirect costs as much as 11 times higher than those that utilize galvanized products. In an economy where steel prices are expected only to rise, buyers are wise to protect their investment and achieve cost savings by galvanizing.

Hot-Dip Galvanizing process

Hot-dip galvanizing process uses a formulation of molten metals to deliver consistent, high-quality zinc coatings on ferrous materials. At the preparation stage, steel arrives at  galvanizing plant and is inspected to ensure that drainage and venting requirements are met. Then, the metal is cleaned by immersion in a hot alkali solution, acid pickled to remove rust or scale, and fluxed to eliminate surface oxides. Next, the steel is hot-dip galvanized—submerged in a bath of molten zinc to form a shield of zinc/iron intermetallic layers on all surfaces. Finally, the newly galvanized steel is cleaned, weighed, and carefully inspected with calibrated instrumentation to ensure quality standards.

Trust Your Steel to Annuo

Hebei Annuo is a global provider of Hot Dip Galvanizing Plant and Solutions, Specialty General HDG plant design and manufacture service. Hebei Annuo was founded in 1998, with more than 20 years experience in Galvanizing field, has built more than 30 complete Hot dip galvanizing plants in China and abroad. We have got ISO9001 and CE Certificates. Our products have been favored by more and more clients with the professional design, excellent quality and considerate service.