In the fields of industrial design and decorative engineering, the selection of steel plates and galvanized steel plates directly affects the durability and aesthetic effect of projects. As a practitioner deeply engaged in the field of metal surface treatment, I will start from the essence of the process and technical parameters, disassemble the core differences between the two, and clarify the underlying application logic.

I. Raw Steel Plates: The Basic Core of Industrial Applications

The core of ordinary steel plates is high-precision rolled carbon steel, and their performance is jointly determined by the base material composition and processing technology:

Cold-rolled steel plates: Surface roughness Ra ≤ 1.6μm, tensile strength ≥ 270MPa, suitable for precision stampings;

Hot-rolled steel plates: Thickness tolerance ±0.15mm, yield strength ≥ 235MPa, commonly used in building load-bearing structures.

The fatal shortcoming of raw steel plates is their susceptibility to oxidation and rusting—in an environment with 60% humidity, initial rust spots on bare carbon steel can appear in only 72 hours.

II. Galvanizing Process: Dual Protective Upgrade for Steel Plates

Electrogalvanizing (SECC)

Process core: Depositing a zinc layer (5-30μm) through electrolysis, surface hardness HV80-120; steel plates with this process are suitable for automotive interior sheet metal parts and high-end home appliance casings;

Hidden requirements: Zinc consumption is about 15g per square meter, and the content of trivalent chromium in the passivation solution must be strictly controlled.

Hot-dip Galvanizing (SGCC)

Metallurgical principle: Forming an FeZn alloy layer (30-275μm) in a zinc bath at 440℃, salt spray test life ≥ 500 hours;

Cost advantage: The cost of large-scale production is 60% of that of electrogalvanizing, suitable for photovoltaic brackets and traffic guardrails.

III. Selection Guide

1. Corrosion resistance comparison: Electrogalvanizing can withstand C2 and C3 grade environments (72-240 hours); hot-dip galvanizing can cover harsh C4 and C5 grades (500-1000 hours);

2. Processing adaptability: Electrogalvanized steel plates have an elongation rate ≥ 18%, suitable for deep stamping processing; hot-dip galvanized steel plates require argon protection during welding to avoid zinc layer damage;

3. Full-life cycle cost model: Electrogalvanizing has a low initial purchase cost but requires regular maintenance; hot-dip galvanizing can achieve 50-year maintenance-free operation, reducing the total cost by 40%; optimizing the rolling pass can further reduce the cost by 12.8%.

IV. Artistic Applications of Galvanized Steel Plates

In the field of high-end decoration, galvanized steel plates have long exceeded their material properties and become a carrier for artistic creation:

Etched relief: Using laser ablation technology to create 0.1mm-level three-dimensional textures;

Anodization: Generating nano-level iridescent gradient films;

Zinc layer translucency: Precisely controlling the crystallization rate to form unique snowflake-like zinc flower textures.

Choosing between steel plates and galvanized steel plates essentially means finding a balance between material performance and creative possibilities. When the rigor of industrial parameters meets the intuition of artistic creation, metal plates are endowed with a second life—which is the ultimate charm of modern industrial aesthetics.