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Zinc hurts welders, so what is the weld performance of organically sealed steel?

I am evaluating alternative solutions to pre-finishing parts which are to be welded (MIG/GMAW method) together for an assembly used in pre-fabricated building construction system. The parts are cold rolled 1018 stamped and bent wire parts. Although the parts will not be exposed to the weather, some corrosion resistance is required. Whereas the zinc based materials seem to deleterious to the welders yet not to the resulting weld. What experience is there available with the use of organic sealers, or perhaps another material, for an application like this?

Richard Paroly
architect/manufufacturer - Harrison, New York
April 28, 2008

Hi, Richard. Zinc cathodically protects steel, and few other practical materials do -- although aluminum would be one.

I've often heard the maxim "Do the chemistry before the engineering". It seems to me that if zinc coated material has proven to function well, that is what you should use. The fact that people should not inhale zinc welding fumes means exactly that, not that welded parts should not be zinc coated. The fact is, people should not inhale any welding fumes; if zinc coating the parts reinforces that fact, that may be good rather than bad :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 29, 2008