Aluminized Steel
Aluminized steel is a steel sheet that has been hot dip-coated with an aluminum silicon alloy. This cost-saving procedure is used in the construction, automotive, electronics, shipbuilding and aerospace industries. Aluminized steel is commonly sold by
steel service centers, which are facilities that purchase manufactured steel and resell the steel after processing it. Aluminized steel is a unique material, as neither steel nor aluminum alone has both of these characteristics. Because it is highly corrosion resistant and conductive, aluminized steel is an ideal metal for electrical chassis applications.
To produce aluminized steel, a bond between the steel sheet and the aluminum coating is formed, resulting in a product that has the strength and low cost of steel with the soft and smooth surface of aluminum. Aluminized steel is produced in two grades. Grade 1 has a Si-Al alloy coating. Because it can withstand extremely high temperatures of heat and oxidation, Grade 1 is mostly used in applications that deal with heat and corrosion. Grade 2, in contrast, has a pure Al coating and is used with atmospheric corrosion. ASTM standards require that aluminized steel be sold with an oil coating unless a special order requires some other finish. However, many manufacturers of aluminized steel produce hexchromated finishes for marketing purposes.