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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Forming of Zinc plated steel, seeking ZAM

2004

Hello! I am a Quality professional who after switching jobs has just been exposed to plating and have been assigned the task of getting some information and I hope you all could help me. Please forgive me for putting a lot of questions in here... (One last bit of info, we have rather thin material coated in Hex-Chrome currently and moving to Tri-Chrome)

1- Our Japanese plant recommended we look at something called ZAM but I cannot find anything on it?

2- Is is possible or cost effective to Tri-Chrome Zinc plate a coil of steel prior to forming? Does anyone do this or is this a bad idea? It was brought up because we currently use a Galvannealed coil to form with.

Thanks again and any answers you can give or just points in the right direction is much appreciated!

Lee S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Automotive - Bardstown, Kentucky, USA

Hi, Lee.

1). Indeed, searching for a three letter word or acronym will probably not get you anywhere. Worse, in the many times we have hosted similar questions over the years, we have found that the word or acronym is often misspelled anyway :-)

Trying to figure out what a third party had in mind based on a misspelled 3-letter acronym presented without context is a fool's errand that none of our readers have undertaken :-)

2). It is certainly possible to zinc plate and tri-chrome a coil of steel. A number of companies sell preplated material like this. The biggest disadvantage is that there is no coating on the edges around holes and where the coil is sheared to form parts. It's usually not acceptable unless edges can be rolled to not present bare areas. Please note that electroplated zinc is usually far thinner (an order of magnitude thinner) than a galvanized coating and would usually be considered unacceptable for outdoor exposure even if it were post plated let alone preplated. Good luck with the project.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 8, 2008