Investigation and improvement of tiny spot defects on hot-dip galvanized automotive steel sheets

The causes of tiny spot defects on the surface of hot-dip galvanized automotive steel sheets were studied using scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS),and effective control measures were introduced.The results show that rubbing against the top roller after galvanizing is easy due to the local thickness of tiny spot defect location coating;therefore,the surface morphology is different from the normal part.Three kinds of defects,namely zinc slag,small slivers,and pitting,are likely to cause local thickening of the coating after galvanizing,leading to the formation of tiny spots.Therefore,resolving the three types of defects can effectively control the generation of tiny spot defects.Among them,due to the hereditary nature of the small sliver defect,focusing on its control and supervision is necessary.

Features and control methods of the galvanneal furnace

The recent rapid developments in the automobile industry have demanded the extensive use of gaivannealed （GA） steel sheets.In particular,the development of lightweight automobiles is putting increasingly higher requirements on the strength of GA steel sheets.The galvanneal furnace,which is used for processing galvannealed steel sheets,is typically composed of the induction heating section,holding section and fog cooling section.This paper described the structural characteristics of each component of the galvanneal furnace,and analyzed temperature control methods of the galvanneal furnace that are important for the successful production of high-strength GA steel sheets for automotive applications.

Research on the lack of alloying in the galvannealed coating of automotive sheet steel

Samples of the cross section microstructures of galvannealed steel sheets that lack alloying were analyzed. X-ray diffraction （XRD） tests were carried out. The study discovers that the deficit of alloying was higher on both sides of the steel sheet when compared to the center and the thickness of the coating on the sides was also higher than the center. The results of the XRD tests demonstrate that the microstructure of the coating with a lack of alloy is mainly composed of zinc,ζ and δ. They also indicate that the lack of alloying is mainly due to a lower galvannealing temperature and thicker coating. It is shown by the optical micrographs of coating that the δ phase forms first in a discontinuous manner at the interface and then rapidly pushes towards the coating and enlarges.

Bottom dross defect and its transformation behavior during the galvannealing process

Bottom dross obtained from zinc bath and the typical bottom dross defects on galvanized and galvannealed coating were metallographically investigated.Galvannealing simulations with different holding time were conducted,and the bottom dross transformation behavior during the galvannealing process was revealed.The fast diffusion between bottom dross particles and the surrounding zinc occurs during the galvannealing process,resulting in the formation of an Al-containing Zn-Fe intermetallic outburst structure at the defect position.The thicker and harder coating will cause a shiny spot on the coating surface and a deep dent on the substrate after being temper rolled.

Investigation of the transformation of sink-roll groove-mark defect in the galvannealing process

The influence of galvannealing on the transformation of the sink-roll groove-mark defect was studied by comparing the defects on galvannealed( GA) coating with those on galvanized( GI) coating. It was found that defects on GI coating contained high amounts of aluminum,zinc dross,and a zinc-iron intermetallic outburst structure,as well as slight scratches on the substrate. After being galvannealed,the aluminum content was higher and there was a much greater outburst structure,which made the coating of the defect thicker than the normal coating,while the zinc dross and scratches on the substrate had disappeared due to zinc and iron diffusion during the galvannealing process.

Experimental and finite element analysis for fracture of coating layer of galvannealed steel sheet

Mechanical properties of galvannealed (GA) steel sheet used for automotive exposed panel and predicted failure phenomenon of its coating layer were evaluated using finite element method. V-bending test was performed to understand better the fracture of coating layer of GA steel sheet during plastic deformation. Yield strength of the coating layer was calculated by using a relative difference between hardness of coating layer measured from the nano-indentation test and that of substrate. To measure shearing strength at the interface between substrate and coating layer, shearing test with two specimens attached by an adhesive was carried out. Using the mechanical properties measured, a series of finite element analyses coupled with a failure model was performed. Results reveal that the fracture of coating layer occurs in an irregular manner at the region where compressive deformation is dominant. Meanwhile, a series of vertical cracks perpendicular to material surface are observed at the tensile stressed-region. It is found that 0.26-0.28 of local equivalent plastic strain exists at the coating and substrate at the beginning of failure. The fracture of coating layer depends on ductility of the coating layer considerably as well.

Effect of heating and cooling technology on microstructure of galvannealed coating

Based on the galvannealed phase transformation theory,the phase and powder level of a galvannealed coating produced on one of the galvanizing lines at Baosteel*s cold-rolling plant were analyzed under different conditions before and after a technical innovation was introduced.After the introduction of the technical innovation,heating and cooling abilities of the galvannealing furnace were strengthened,galvanizing speed increased from 75 to 100 m/min,and the galvannealing target temperature could be reached more quickly.As such,the 8,phase was more uniform and dense,and the coating's anti-powdering ability was increased.Although the galvanizing time was slightly shortened,this had no negative effect on the anti-powdering ability of the galvannealed coating.

Application of communication program between atomic absorption spectrometer and electronic balance for iron content determination of the galvanneal coating

At present,iron content in a galvanneal coating is determined by an atomic absorption spectrometer(AAS)in Baosteel.The mass of a sample is recorded by operators two times on paper,then the mass of the coating is manually calculated and input in a computer.With the aid of a communication program between an AAS and an electronic balance(EB),the above process can be modified.First,the mass of a sample is sent to a computer by the EB.Second,the mass of the coating is calculated by the computer automatically.Finally,the iron mass is uploaded to the communication program,and the iron content can also be calculated automatically.As such,the modified process is more efficient.

Production and application of Baosteel inorganic-lubricant-coated galvannealed automobile steel sheet

The inorganic-lubricant-coated galvannealed automobile steel sheet is a new product that improves the press formability of automobile body panels.In this paper,the production process,physical and chemical properties,press formability,and corrosion resistance of this new automobile steel sheet were discussed.Test results show that this inorganic solid-lubricant galvannealed automobile steel sheet has good surface friction characteristics and press formability.This product also meets the automobile industry’s requirements for press formability,phosphate pro-perties,and corrosion resistance after coating.

Recent development of UHSS and its hot-dip galvanizing processes in Baosteel

Baosteel has excelled in automotive steel sheets in the past three decades.It has made a significant contribution to the development of China’s automotive industry by producing a wide range of high-quality steel products.Some milestones achieved by Baosteel automotive steel sheet were briefly reviewed.The current challenges in producing ultra-high strength steel(UHSS),especially hot-dip galvanized UHSS,were summarized.The most current advancements in UHSS and the corresponding hot-dip galvanizing processes were discussed.The galvanizability of Si-Mn-added QP steel and DP steel, Mn-added TWIP steel, and Al-added low-density steel has been improved by different techniques in Baosteel.

热镀锌铁合金双相钢表面白条缺陷分析

分析了热镀锌铁合金双相钢两种白条缺陷的微观形貌及其特征,并对相关工艺进行了讨论。结果表明:两种白条缺陷都源自于镀锌前的基板表面缺陷,一种源自热轧辊系铁皮,其微观以Mo、V、Cr、Ni等热轧辊系元素为特征;另一种推测源自铸坯微裂纹,其微观特征主要为二次氧化物。

合金化热镀锌IF钢板表面短白条缺陷产生原因及演变机理研究

使用扫描电子显微镜、能谱仪等设备,分析了一种合金化热镀锌IF钢GA外板表面短白条缺陷的产生原因,同时对热卷表面的黑线缺陷、板坯表面的渣孔缺陷进行了分析。结果表明:短白条缺陷形成的直接原因与Al_(2)O_(3)夹杂有关,根本原因为板坯表面的渣孔缺陷。由于炼钢吹氩气泡大,且镇静时间较短,部分携带有Al_(2)O_(3)夹杂的氩气泡来不及上浮至表面,停留在钢中未被去除,在经过轧制延伸并镀锌后,在钢板表面形成短白条缺陷。讨论了该缺陷的演变机理,提出通过改善吹氩方式,采用更多尺寸较小的氩气泡,能更好地去除微小夹杂物,同时降低板坯渣孔的发生率。

Effect of hot-dip galvanizing processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 600-MPa hot-dip galvanized dual-phase steel

A C–Mn dual-phase steel was soaked at 800°C for 90 s and then either rapidly cooled to 450°C and held for 30 s(process A) or rapidly cooled to 350°C and then reheated to 450°C(process B) to simulate the hot-dip galvanizing process. The influence of the hot-dip galvanizing process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 600-MPa hot-dip galvanized dual-phase steel(DP600) was investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and tensile tests. The results showed that, in the case of process A, the microstructure of DP600 was composed of ferrite, martensite, and a small amount of bainite. The granular bainite was formed in the hot-dip galvanizing stage, and martensite islands were formed in the final cooling stage after hot-dip galvanizing. By contrast, in the case of process B, the microstructure of the DP600 was composed of ferrite, martensite, bainite, and cementite. In addition, compared with the yield strength(YS) of the DP600 annealed by process A, that for the DP600 annealed by process B increased by approximately 50 MPa because of the tempering of the martensite formed during rapid cooling. The work-hardening coefficient(n value) of the DP600 steel annealed by process B clearly decreased because the increase of the YS affected the computation result for the n value. However, the ultimate tensile strength(UTS) and elongation(A80) of the DP600 annealed by process B exhibited less variation compared with those of the DP600 annealed by process A. Therefore, DP600 with excellent comprehensive mechanical properties(YS = 362 MPa, UTS = 638 MPa, A_(80) = 24.3%, n = 0.17) was obtained via process A.

Surface modification of die casting mold steel by a composite technique of hot-dipping and plasma electrolytic oxidation

The hot dipping process of pure aluminum on H13 steel substrates followed by plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO) was studied to form alumina ceramic coatings for protective purpose.H13 steel bars were first dipped in pure aluminum melts,and then,a reactive iron-aluminum intermetallic layer grew at the interface between the melt and the steel substrate.The reactive layer was mainly composed of intermetallic Fe-Al(Fe_2Al_5);the thickness of aluminum layer and Fe-Al intermetallic layer were mainly influenced by dipping time(1.5～12.0 min) and dipping temperature(710～760 ℃).After PEO process,uniform Al_2O_3 ceramic coatings were deposited on the surface of aluminized steel.The element distribution,phase composition and morphology of the aluminized layer,and the ceramic coatings were characterized by SEM/EDS and XRD.The distribution of hardness across the composite coating is demonstrated,and the maximum value reaches 1864 HV.The thermal shock resistance of the coated sample is also well improved.

The Influence of Al on the Surface Properties of the Hot-dip Galvanized Melt

Wettability of Zn-Al alloy melt on the pure iron substrate at 450℃was studied.The effect of Al content(Zn,Zn-1Al,Zn-2Al,Zn-3Al,Zn-4Al,and Zn-5Al)on the wetting behavior and interfacial reaction was investigated by high-temperature contact angle measuring device and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The results show that,with the increase of Al content,the initial contact angle of the molten alloy on the substrate decreases gradually and the wettability increases gradually.Compared with the initial contact angle,the final contact angle is slightly reduced,because the Fe-Al inhibition layer is preferentially formed at the interface when adding Al to the alloy.The presence of Al will promote the occurrence of the reactive wetting,leading to an insignificant wetting spreading process,and the final contact angle negligibly differs from the initial contact angle.The adhesion work and charge density distributions of interface systems were calculated based on the first-principles.The results show that the adhesion work of the Fe/Zn and Fe/(Zn-Al)interface model is 2.0171 J/m^(2)and 13.7944 J/m^(2),respectively.The addition of Al greatly increases the adhesion work between alloy melt and iron substrate.Compared with the Zn-Fe and Al-Fe interface models,it can be seen that a significant charge migration phenomenon occurs between the interfaces.The amount of charge migration in the Al-Fe interface model is much larger than that in the Zn-Fe interface model,indicating that the bonding between Al-Fe atoms can occur more easily and the interaction between Al-Fe interfaces is stronger.This is also the reason why the addition of Al increases the adhesion work between interfaces.

Hot-Dip Coating of Lead-free Aluminum on Steel Substrates with Ultrasonic Vibration

Hot-dip coating has been practically employed in manufacturing zinc alloy coated steel sheets.However,it is difficult to coat aluminum alloy on a bulky steel substrate without sufficient preheating,because a rapidly solidified layer containing gas babbles is formed on a substrate surface.A variety of iron-aluminides are also formed at the interface of a steel and aluminum hot-dip coating system,which is the main difficulty in joining of steel with aluminum.Ultrasonic vibration was applied to a steel substrate during hot-dip coating of aluminum alloy to control a rapidly solidified layer and a brittle reaction layer.Hot dipping of columnar steel substrates into molten aluminum alloy （Al-2.7 mass fraction Si-4.6 mass fraction Sn） was carried out through the use of a Langevin oscillator with resonant frequency of 19.5 kHz.The application of ultrasonic vibration is quite effective to control a rapidly solidified layer and a surface oxide layer from a substrate surface by the sonocapillary effect based on a cavitation phenomenon,so that the intimate contact is achieved at the beginning of hot-dip coating.The application of ultrasonic vibration to hot-dipping is effective to control a reaction layer with less than 5 #m in thickness.An impact test exhibits that the good adhesive strength is approved in hot-dipped aluminum coatings with a thin reaction layer of approximately 5μm.

Hot-Dip Galvanized Sheet Production and Application

Hot-dip galvanized sheet is wildly used in construction,household appliances,ship,vehicle and vessel building and machinery,etc.In last ten years,with the development of automobile industry,the anti-eorrosion requirements for car body are increasingly strict,by which the rapid development in technology has been promoted.The application of hot-dip galvanized sheet,technological progress in production and some Chinese large units were introduced.

Preparation and hot-dip galvanizing application of CeO_2/Zn nanocomposite

CeO2/Zn nanocomposite was fabricated by high-energy ball milling and subsequent hot-press sintering under vacuum. The produced nanocomposite powders and bulks were characterized using X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrum （EDS）. The as-fabricated nanocomposite bulks were added successfully into the hot-dip galvanizing bath to improve the corrosion resistance of coatings. The results show that after milling for 120min, nano-sized CeO2 particles are distributed homogeneously on the surface of fine Zn particles to form spherical-like nanocomposite powder with narrow grain size distribution. The subsequent sintering does not lead to a dramatic grain growth, and the distribution of CeO2 nanoparticles in the composite bulk is also homogeneous. With the addition of as-prepared bulks, the corrosion resistance of the galvanized coatings is improved obviously. It provides a feasible route for adding CeO2 nanoparticles into the hot-dip galvanized coating.

Analysis of causes and influence factors of small black spot defects in hot-dip galvanized pure Zn products

In this study,the factors affecting the formation of small black spot defects on the surface of a hot-dip galvanized pure zinc strip are analyzed. These defects are primarily formed w hen the iron-aluminum inhibition layer is incompletely formed or fails to form or when foreign matter adheres to the surface or embeds in the zinc layer.The defects can be reduced by controlling the cleanliness and activity of the strip base before coating,regulating the zinc pot process parameters,and ensuring the cleanliness of the passline and workshop.

Analysis of Coating Microstructure of Hot-Dip Aluminum of Deformed Low-Carbon Steel Containing Rare Earth

The coating microstructure of hot-dip aluminum (HDA) of deformed low-carbon steel containing RE was analyzed by metallography microscopy, TEM and XRD, and the forming mechanism was also discussed. The results show that, the Fe_2Al_5 phase, on whose subcrystal boundaries, Al particles with the size of 7～30 μm existing on parallel linear are, grows a strong orientation. And the spread activation energy of Al is 155.22 kJ·mol -1. In addition, the effects of deformation on coating microstructure of hot-dip aluminum and the function of RE were preliminarily analyzed.