Once the metal is cleaned, treated, and painted, the strip is rewound into a coil size prescribed by the customer. From there, the coil is removed from the line and packaged for shipment or additional processing.
After the primer is applied and cured, then the metal strip enters the finish coat station where a topcoat is applied. Topcoats provide color, corrosion resistance, durability, flexibility and any other required physical properties. Like primers, the topcoat is cured using thermal cure ovens.
Oven
Coil coating ovens can range from 130 feet to 160 feet and will cure the coatings in 13 to 20 seconds.
During this stage, the strip enters the prime coat station whereby a primer is applied to the clean and treated metal. After the primer is applied, the metal strip travels through a thermal oven for curing. Primers are used to aid in paint adhesion, improve corrosion performance and enhance aesthetic and functional attributes of the topcoat.
S Wrap Coater
The S wrap coater design allows for primers and paints to be applied to the top and back side of the metal strip simultaneously in one continuous pass.
The cleaning and pretreating section of the coil coating process focuses on preparing the metal for painting. During the cleaning stage, dirt, debris, and oils are removed from the metal strip. From there, the metal enters the pretreatment section and/or a chemical coater whereby chemicals are applied to facilitate paint adhesion and enhance corrosion resistance.
Dried-In-Place
In this stage a chemical that provides enhanced corrosion performance is applied. This treatment can be chrome free if required.
The accumulator is a structure that adjusts up and down to store material, which makes continuous operation of the coil coating process possible. This accumulation will continue to feed the coil coating processes while the entry end has stopped for the stitching process. As much as 750 feet of metal can be collected.
Grainland Cooperative in Eureka, IL experienced a massive explosion on the morning of July 30th, 2018. A corn dryer caught on fire, and the farmers feared that the upcoming harvest would be compromised. Grainland employs 200+ farmers and yields an annual average of six million bushels of corn.
Growmark and various fabricators (Lemar Industries, GSI, Bushnell Illinois tank) quickly helped reconstruct the facility to have it up and running for the 2019 harvest. This complete facility replacement recently won the “Newly Completed” award from the American Galvanizers Association (AGA) for its innovative use of hot-dip galvanizing steel.
AZZ Galvanizing – Peoria was critical in executing on the facility’s renewal, leveraging AZZ’s extensive experience in hot-dip galvanizing to ensure an expectation-exceeding result was achieved.
About
The food and agricultural industry accounts for roughly 5.4% of the United States’ GDP. Grainland and facilities like it play a critical role in the logistics of buying and selling corn and soybeans – a vital industry of the Midwest and beyond. Galvanizing steel is the premier material for agricultural architecture and was essential when building the new corn dryer. The product is perfect for coating durability, corrosion performance, ease of specifying and life-cycle cost.
Why the Designer Chose Hot-Dip Galvanizing
The designers chose hot-dip galvanizing because of its sustainability and ability to meet the requirement of a 50-year life with a low maintenance cost. The farms can face harsh natural elements that erode materials. Many of Grainland’s structures (all of the structural steel components, including the tower structures, conveyors, catwalks and railing) use the hot-dip galvanizing process because it is cost effective and enduring. This project used more than 1,200 tons of galvanized steel, which supports the growing demand for crops. Hot-dip galvanized steel addresses the economic and cultural factors that will make the Grainland facility successful for years to come.
Project Recap
Grainland Cooperative rallied after a massive corn dryer explosion. With the help of Growmark and various fabricators (Lemar Industries, GSI, Bushnell Illinois tank), Grainland Cooperative was quickly reconstructed with the use of galvanized steel. This complete facility replacement recently won an American Galvanizers Association (AGA) award for its quick action and innovative design.
AZZ focuses on creating a stronger, safer world, evidenced by our focus on protecting infrastructure from corrosion. This project was an innovative way to show the possibilities of galvanizing. Learn more about AZZ’s capabilities by exploring our hot dip galvanizing capabilities.
At AZZ Galvanizing and Plating – Milwaukee, precision and performance come together to deliver reliable corrosion protection and surface finishing solutions.