Galvanized Steel Sheet Surface Quality Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-strength galvanized steel sheets with silicon and manganese content face issues of bare-spot defects due to oxide formation and blistering caused by hydrogen accumulation, which existing methods struggle to address without requiring significant capital investments or affecting steel composition and continuous galvanizing line operations.

Innovation Solution

A high-strength galvanized steel sheet with controlled silicon and manganese concentrations and hydrogen partial pressures during annealing and cooling steps, along with a galvanizing process in an aluminum-containing bath, to prevent oxide formation and hydrogen accumulation, ensuring excellent surface appearance and preventing bare-spot and blistering defects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If high-strength steel sheet containing silicon and manganese is subjected to annealing treatment in reducing atmosphere, then the strength of the steel sheet is improved, but silicon and manganese oxides form on the surface causing bare-spot defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestrength of steel sheetVSAvoidsurface quality (bare-spot defects)
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the steel sheet by strictly limiting silicon content to 0.005% or less and manganese content to 2.0% or less. This parameter adjustment prevents oxide formation during annealing treatment while maintaining the required strength through alternative alloying elements and microstructure control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If hydrogen concentration in furnace atmosphere during annealing treatment is increased to prevent oxide formation, then bare-spot defects are reduced, but excessive hydrogen absorption causes blistering defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface quality (bare-spot defects)VSAvoidblistering defects from hydrogen accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful effect of hydrogen into a beneficial one by controlling the annealing atmosphere to have high hydrogen content (90% or more), which effectively prevents oxide formation. Simultaneously, the controlled low silicon and manganese content ensures that hydrogen absorption does not lead to excessive blistering, thus converting the potential harm of hydrogen into the benefit of oxide prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adjusts multiple parameters simultaneously: hydrogen concentration in atmosphere (90% or more), silicon content (0.005% or less), and manganese content (2.0% or less). This coordinated parameter control achieves both oxide prevention and blistering suppression.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional methods are used to prevent bare-spot and blistering defects, then surface quality improves, but capital investments in new facilities or changes to steel composition and continuous galvanizing line operations are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and operational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention achieves surface quality improvement through simple compositional parameter adjustments (Si≤0.005%, Mn≤2.0%) that can be implemented in existing steelmaking processes without requiring new facilities or major operational changes to the continuous galvanizing line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively controls oxide formation and hydrogen release, resulting in a high-strength galvanized steel sheet with excellent surface appearance and no bare-spot or blistering defects, maintaining operational stability and cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

silicon and manganese that are prone to oxidation are concentrated on the surface of the steel sheet and form oxides in a reducing atmosphere generally used in annealing treatment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 2

hydrogen absorbed in the steel sheet during annealing treatment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

The accumulated hydrogen is released out of the coating layer during alloying treatment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS9895863B2High-strength galvanized steel sheet and method of manufacturing the same
Publication Date: 2018.02.20 JFE STEEL CORP

AI summary

A high-strength galvanized steel sheet includes a base steel sheet having a specific chemical composition and a zinc coating layer disposed on the surface of the base steel sheet in a coating weight per side of 20 g/m2 to 120 g/m2, wherein the amount of hydrogen measured by a specific method is 0.05 mass ppm to 0.40 mass ppm; and ISisur/ISibulk and IMnsur/IMnbulk calculated by a specific method are not more than 2.0 and not more than 3.0, respectively.