Strength in Protection: Inside PRO-TEC’s Continuous Galvanizing/Galvannealing Line
At PRO-TEC, our Continuous Galvanizing/Galvannealing Line enhances steel with a protective zinc coating, delivering superior corrosion resistance and formability for automotive and advanced manufacturing applications. From precision-controlled molten zinc baths to tension leveling and rigorous quality inspection, our seamless process ensures high-performance steel that meets the most demanding industry standards. Explore how our advanced technology and commitment to excellence create durable, high-quality coated steel products.
1. Shipping & Receiving
Cold-reduced coils are received and shipped by covered rail and truck.
50-ton overhead, remote-controlled cranes unload and place incoming coils onto transfer cars, which move them into the automated warehouse.
2. Automated Warehouse
Automated cranes select coils based upon production schedules and place them onto the transfer car in the appropriate sequence for the line.
3. Entry/Cleaner
An incoming coil is loaded onto one of the two pay-off reels.
While a coil is being processed on one reel, another is being prepared to be welded from the other reel.
The entry section is stopped to weld the head end of a new coil to the tail end of the coil being processed, beginning the continuous process operation.
The entry accumulator stores the steel sheet to enable welding and maintaining the continuous process operation.
The cleaner removes mill oils and iron fines before the steel sheet enters the annealing furnace.
4. Environmental Operations
Environmental operations include equipment that controls chemical supply, cooling water and wastewater treatment systems to support line operation.
The wastewater treatment system utilizes ultra filtration and reverse osmosis equipment for water reclamation from two waste streams with up to 80 percent water recovery and reuse.
5. Galvanizing Pots
Steel goes through the molten zinc pot, and then the air knife wipes down the zinc to customer specification allowing for a wider range of coated products.
6. Temper Rolling/Tension Leveling
The temper rolling mill imparts required surface roughness and appearance, and limits yield-point elongation by a controlled compression and elongation of the steel sheet.
The tension leveler extends the steel sheet over bending rolls to produce superior flatness - vital for the efficient fabrication of lightweight automotive parts.
The line also features inline chemical roll coaters.
7. Delivery
The delivery accumulator stores the steel sheet while the coil is cut and discharged to maintain continuous process operation.
Automated surface inspection system constantly records the steel sheet’s surface condition in addition to visual inspection by quality assurance personnel.
A high-speed delivery shear cuts the coil to desired customer length as well as cuts samples for quality assurance testing.
Two tension reels, one operating and one stand-by, wind the coil to the required tension.
A coil car removes the processed coil from the tension reel; the coil is transported for further processing at the recoil line, packaging and to the shipping bay for delivery to the customer.
8. Re-coil
Inspection, oiling and side trimming occur on our re-coil line. The re-coil line has the capability to reverse the strip surface and wind to a 20.0” or 24.0” inner diameter.
9. Packaging
Finished product is banded and wrapped according to customer specifications.
Each coil is provided with edge protection and stretch wrapped.