What is Galvanised Pallet Racking?
Pallet racking is the most widely used type of industrial racking, which is favored by buyers around the world for its ruggedness and cost-effective advantages. But do you know that there are actually different materials for it?
Now we are talking about galvanized pallet racking, which is different from conventional pallet racking in that it does not use the common spray paint process, but galvanized process. So what exactly is galvanized pallet racking? What are the benefits of galvanization?
Let us, as a professional industrial racking manufacturer, answer all these for you!
What is galvanized？
Before we talk about galvanized pallet racking, we need to know what galvanizing is.
Galvanizing is technically a process whereby a factory covers the surface of steel with a layer of zinc using hot-dip galvanizing or electro galvanizing. The purpose of this process is to bring a protective coating to the steel and improve its corrosion resistance.
You may ask why an element like zinc can bring better corrosion resistance to steel pallet racking.
What is zinc?
Zinc is a bluish-white metal and a chemical element while it has three basic properties which are chemical activity, oxidizing properties and melting point.
Chemical activity
Zinc is a more reactive metal compared to iron and it reacts very easily with oxygen and other non-metallic elements. In layman's terms, when a galvanized pallet rack comes into contact with oxygen in air or water, the zinc is the first to be oxidized, thus the iron covered by the zinc is protected.
Oxidizing
When zinc comes into contact with oxygen, a thin protective film is formed on the surface of the zinc, which is called zinc oxide, and its function is to prevent further oxidation reactions. This is why zinc, when first oxidized, protects iron from oxidation and corrosion.
Melting point
The melting point of zinc is 419.5°, and this property allows the zinc to be melted and encapsulated on the surface of the pallet rack by the process of hot-dip galvanizing to form a protective layer when the pallet rack is manufactured. This process is also known as galvanizing.
Self-healing ability
Another property of zinc that I need to add is the ability to heal itself. When the surface of zinc is damaged by an external force, the exposed zinc reacts again with the oxygen in the air or water to create a new protective film that resists corrosion.
What is galvanized pallet racking？
Galvanized pallet racking is a type of pallet racking with a metallic silver-gray appearance, this metallic silver-gray is the natural color and luster from the zinc layer. The main structure and design of galvanized pallet racking is basically the same as that of traditional pallet racking.
The difference between galvanized pallet racking and traditional pallet racking is mainly appearance, corrosion resistance, cost and service life, there is no one who is better or who is worse, just the application of different scenarios and face different needs.
The highlight of galvanized pallet racking is its excellent corrosion resistance, which contributes to its superior structural integrity and safety in wet or corrosive environments.
Galvanizing process
Two common ways we see galvanizing are hot-dip galvanizing and electro galvanizing.
Hot-Dip galvanizing
The process of hot-dip galvanizing simply involves heating zinc to its melting point and then dipping the pallet rack components into the molten zinc.
The advantage of hot-dip galvanizing is that the resulting galvanized layer is thicker, usually 50-150 microns, and more resistant to corrosion.
The disadvantages, however, are the rough surface, the risk of distortion of the steel during heat treatment, the difficulty of controlling the dimensional accuracy and the high cost.
Electrogalvanizing
The electrogalvanizing process uses an electrochemical reaction to deposit a thin galvanized layer on the surface of the steel pallet rack, usually 5-30 microns thick.
The advantages of electrogalvanizing are a smooth and uniform surface, higher dimensional accuracy than hot-dip galvanizing, the possibility of color passivation, and good adhesion.
However, the disadvantages are weaker corrosion resistance, higher process costs, environmental concerns and unsuitability for high temperature environments.
Advantages of galvanized pallet racking
Galvanized pallet racking also belongs to the pallet racking, so it has all the advantages of pallet racking, and these common advantages I will not introduce too much, the main introduction of the advantages are biased galvanized pallet racking unique.
Ultra-high corrosion resistance
Traditional pallet racking also has a certain level of corrosion resistance, why galvanized pallet racking I would say is super high, all thanks to its galvanized layer.
The common corrosive substances in our storage industry are basically moisture, salt and chemicals, etc., and traditional pallet racking is useless in these corrosive environments, and will be damaged if used for a long time.
Unlike galvanized pallet racking, it was created for such storage environments, such as cold storage, outdoor warehouses and chemical plants.
Low maintenance costs
The galvanized coating of galvanized pallet racking is highly resistant to rust and self-healing, eliminating the need for frequent re-coating or partial re-coating of the coating during post maintenance. This saves companies time and money over time.
Environmentally friendly
The galvanized surface of galvanized pallet racking is environmentally friendly as it does not emit harmful fumes and natural peeling of the coating is rare.
The waste from the galvanized process is also easier to dispose of than conventional powder coating or spray painting of pallet racking.
Safety
Thanks to the galvanized coating of galvanized pallet racking, the structural components of the racking are protected from corrosion and rust.
In this way, the risk of accidents such as collapses due to structural corrosion can be minimized in daily use.
Wide range of applications
Galvanized pallet racking relies on its excellent anti-corrosion properties, and pallet racking's own strong and durable advantages, is loved by many industries.
For example, food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, which require high corrosion resistance, are very suitable!
Disadvantages of galvanized pallet racking
Higher price
Since galvanized pallet racking is more costly in terms of the processes and materials needed to manufacture it, it will be sold at a higher price than traditional pallet racking.
Limited exterior color options
Although galvanized pallet racking has the option of electro galvanizing to obtain other colors, the range of color options is very limited.
Compared to traditional racking, which uses spray paint or powder coating, galvanized pallet racking offers far fewer colors.
Not suitable for all environments
In some extreme environments, galvanized pallet racking is not suitable, such as strong acidic or high temperature environments.
The galvanized layer of galvanized pallet racking will corrode or oxidize faster in acidic or high temperature environments, so its protective effect in such environments will be greatly weakened or even lost.
Environmental factors
Galvanized pallet racking on its own is not a negative factor for the environment, but the process of galvanizing produces emissions and waste.
This is not a problem if the manufacturer handles it properly, but if it is not handled properly it can pollute the environment.
Maintenance difficulty
During subsequent routine inspections and maintenance, some minor damage and scratches do not need to be repaired.
In the case of serious damage or scratches to the galvanized coating, it is more difficult to repair them as they need to be treated professionally.
This is the difference in the subsequent maintenance of the coating compared to ordinary sprayed coatings.
Galvanized pallet rack applications
Galvanized pallet racking benefits from its own sturdy and stable structural design and excellent corrosion resistance, in all walks of life it has its suitable application scenarios, then I will give you some examples of common application scenarios.
Food and beverage industry
Cold storage and cold chain storage
Cold storage and cold chain environments are characterized by high humidity and low temperatures, which have a negative impact on conventional racking by causing it to rust.
This is where galvanized pallet racking excels, with its excellent corrosion protection.
Food processing plants or warehouses
Another feature of galvanized pallet racking is that it is easy to clean and does not emit harmful fumes, which, together with the fact that the racking itself is not susceptible to corrosion, makes it ideal for use in such places in the food industry.
Chemical and pharmaceutical industry
Chemical warehouse
Chemical products may exist in some corrosive, conventional shelves that can not be used for a long time in this industry. In order to ensure the safety of storage and durability of the shelves, galvanized pallet racking is a good choice!
Pharmaceutical warehouse
The requirements of the pharmaceutical industry for storage racking are basically twofold: corrosion resistance and ease of cleaning. Galvanized pallet racking meets these requirements.
Seafood processing and storage
Normal seawater has a salt content of 3.5%, which means that one liter of seawater has 35 grams of salt, and seawater is the most common source of salt water for seafood processing and storage.
Therefore, the ideal choice for this type of storage is galvanized pallet racking, which is not afraid of salt water corrosion.
Coastal ports and harbors
Warehouses in coastal ports and harbors are exposed to environments that do not have a lot of seawater, but have a high level of humidity and salt in the air. In this environment, galvanized pallet racking is still one of the best options.
Where to buy galvanized pallet rack？
There are many ways to buy galvanized pallet racking, most countries and regions will have their own local manufacturers or suppliers, you can buy from these channels.
If galvanized pallet racking is not available in your local area, you can look for suppliers from neighboring areas on some shopping platforms, or you can search for quality suppliers on Google, such as HEDA.
Different regions have different economies and development, so the prices offered are different. If you have certain requirements on the price, it is also a good way to look for suppliers in other countries to compare the price.