Authored by Pete Chifo, Jr. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN TUBE & PIPE TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE This article will inform you of the vast opportunities available to tube producers to expand into rapidly growing, profitable markets through utilization of the inline galvanizing process. While In-Line galvanizing systems have been used for over three decades by a relatively small group of producers, market expansion for its end use products have made the process attractive to a variety of tube producers worldwide. Traditionally the most common finished products for In-Line systems have been electrical conduits and fence tubes. Recent developments in line designs and technologies have enabled a number of new uses which can be manufactured more efficiently and far more cost effective than by other galvanizing processes. To begin, I would like to identify the most common alternative methods of galvanizing tubular products and shapes. They are: Hot Dipped Galvanizing Electroplating Operations Conversion of Pre-Galvanized Strip While admittedly there are a few inherent advantages of each of the preceding methods, their disadvantages far outweigh their value to tube producers. As the technology of these methods are widely known, I will not address the details of these designs. Instead I will present the case of why the In-Line process is far more valuable to the modern-day producer.
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