When to Use Galvanized Steel Wire factory？

Galvanized wire offers excellent corrosion resistance and longevity. Our galvanized wire undergoes a hot-dip galvanization process, which coats the underlying steel in a protective layer of zinc, enhancing its durability.

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Galvanized wire has its advantages and drawbacks. The following table provides the pros and cons of galvanized wire.

Pros

Cons

Superior corrosion resistance

Increased weight and diameter

Increased longevity

Less workable (lower elongation)

Reliable tensile strength and load strength

Zinc can pollute soil and water

Versatility

Galvanic corrosion

Matte appearance

More difficult to weld

While galvanized wire might cost more, it offsets costs associated with future wire replacement due to corrosion and breakage.

Pros of galvanized wire

Superior corrosion resistance

Galvanized wire has unparalleled corrosion resistance due to the protective layer of zinc that envelops the steel surface. This zinc coating acts as a sacrificial anode, shielding the underlying steel from corrosive elements and harsh environments.

Regular baling wire will rust when exposed to moisture, salt water, or other corrosive environments. While galvanized wire may also eventually rust, it maintains its structural integrity much longer than regular baling wire, making it the best choice for outdoor applications and marine environments.

Increased longevity

Galvanization significantly extends the lifespan of steel wires, reducing the need for replacement and minimizing maintenance costs. The added zinc layer provides a protective barrier against corrosion and contributes to the wire's overall longevity. With proper care and maintenance, galvanized wire can last 50+ years, making it a cost-effective solution for long-term applications.

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Reliable strength

Unlike annealing, the galvanization process does not reduce the strength of steel, allowing galvanized wire to maintain its tensile strength and load strength. Hi-tensile galvanized wire is an excellent choice for heavy-duty baling applications, such as recycling copper, scrap metal, rubber tires, and e-waste.

Versatility

Galvanized wire is used for many baling and non-baling applications, from agriculture and construction to manufacturing and recycling. Galvanized wire can handle diverse applications and environmental conditions, whether used for fencing, cable support, or as baling wire.

Matte appearance

Galvanized wire's distinct matte finish lends an understated aesthetic appeal to projects where visual appearance matters. The zinc coating creates a uniform, silver-gray surface that complements certain styles and color palettes.

Cons of galvanized wire

Increased weight and diameter

The galvanization process adds an extra layer to the wire's surface. As a result, galvanized wire tends to have a slightly increased weight and diameter compared to non-galvanized wire. This increase, albeit minimal, can impact baler compatibility, suitability for precision projects, and shipping costs.

Less workable

While galvanized wire excels in strength and durability, it is less workable than black annealed wire. Galvanized wire is preferable for projects that require abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and strength.

The zinc coating limits the wire's elongation properties, making it less flexible and more prone to breakage when sharply bent. Wire that has undergone the annealing process should be chosen for applications that require elongation, high torsional strength, or intricate configurations.

Zinc can pollute soil and water

The wire's protective zinc coating poses environmental concerns. When exposed to moisture, the zinc layer can gradually leach into the surrounding soil or water. Excessive zinc concentrations disrupt ecosystems and pose risks to aquatic life.

That said, zinc deteriorates at a slow rate. It is already a common element found in soil and water and is an important mineral for many organisms. The American Galvanizer's Association has found that most galvanized products leach zinc at a slow rate, posing little risk to the environment, humans, or other life.

To offset these risks, buy high-quality baling wire with an even coat of zinc, and recycle used baling wire.

Galvanic corrosion

Galvanized wire can accelerate the corrosion of other metals through a phenomenon known as galvanic corrosion. When galvanized steel wire comes into direct contact with dissimilar metals, such as aluminum or copper, in the presence of an electrolyte (e.g., moisture), it can trigger an electrochemical reaction. This reaction causes the less noble metal to corrode at an accelerated rate, compromising the integrity of the attached components or structures.

More difficult to weld

The zinc coating on galvanized wire can complicate welding. The zinc layer has a lower melting point than the underlying steel, which can lead to zinc vaporization and contamination of the weld pool. The zinc oxides formed during welding can also hinder proper fusion and result in weaker or less aesthetically pleasing welds.

Our galvanized wire products

We offer high-quality galvanized products to suit all applications. Our galvanized wire and bale ties are manufactured using premium-grade US steel and undergo a meticulous hot-dip galvanization process to produce superior corrosion resistance and durability. We offer the following galvanized wire products:

• Single loop bale ties: for use with manual balers and featuring a single loop for versatile tying.
• Double loop bale ties: for use with manual balers and featuring a convenient double loop hooking configuration.
• Galvanized carrier wire: multi-purpose wire used for both baling and non-baling applications, such as trellising on orchards and vineyards.
• High-tensile galvanized wire by the stem: manufactured from high-carbon steel for enhanced tensile strength. High-tensile wire is used for baling heavy, dense recyclables, constructing fences, and other heavy-duty applications.

Galvanized steel is produced by coating carbon steel with a protective layer of zinc. To form galvanized wire rope, carbon steel wires are immersed in molten zinc and then cooled, forming galvanized steel wire. The newly formed galvanized steel wire is then fed into a stranding machine, where it is helically stranded to produce galvanized steel wire rope. Due to its excellent breaking strength, durability, and relatively low cost compared to its stainless steel counterpart, galvanized wire rope is a common choice in construction, agriculture, and manufacturing industries.

To characterize galvanized steel wire rope's break strength, let's look at Sava's cable. With a diameter of 3/8 inches, it boasts a breaking strength of 14,400 lbs.

Galvanized steel's durability is thanks to its aforementioned zinc coating. This coating acts as a barrier, protecting galvanized steel's vulnerable carbon core from wear and tear, moisture, and other corrosive elements that are often present in the final application's environment.

While galvanized steel is water-resistant, it can corrode in saltwater due to chloride ion reactions. This reaction causes the coating to erode, thus exposing the underlying carbon steel. Stainless steel, which is naturally resistant to corrosion due to its lower carbon content, offers greater resistance to saltwater. However, due to its chemical makeup and a less demanding manufacturing process, galvanized steel is more cost-effective than stainless steel, making it more suitable for applications where harmful environmental factors are limited.

The Chemical Composition of Galvanized Steel

We've mentioned that galvanized steel is produced by coating carbon steel with a protective layer of zinc. However, there are many varieties of carbon steel, including high-carbon steel and low-carbon steel, and the selection of the carbon steel influences the galvanized steel result. High-carbon steel is defined as steel with a carbon content of 0.6-1.0%, while low-carbon steel, which contains up to 0.25-0.3% carbon. Galvanized steel generally consists of low-carbon steel as the substrate, due to its better formability and ease of coating with zinc compared to high-carbon steel.

In addition to selecting the low-carbon steel, the chemical composition of the carbon steel must be considered to properly apply zinc coating.

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