Patterned Hot-Dip Plated Steel Sheet for Durable Surface Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Zn—Al—Mg-based hot-dip plated steel sheets face issues with durability and corrosion resistance when characters or designs are displayed on the surface, leading to increased costs and loss of metallic gloss.
Innovation Solution
A hot-dip plated steel sheet with a patterned layer comprising specific Al and Mg compositions, featuring distinct first and second regions defined by area fractions of Zn and Al/MgZn2/Zn ternary eutectic structures, allowing for durable and corrosion-resistant display of characters or designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If printing or coating is performed on the hot-dip plated layer to display characters or designs, then the metallic gloss appearance is lost and durability is reduced, but the cost and time for applying characters and designs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a wax coating to the steel sheet surface before hot-dip plating in specific patterned regions. This preliminary action creates areas where the plated layer will have different properties (lower adhesion, different appearance) compared to other regions, enabling durable patterned surfaces without subsequent printing or coating steps that would compromise durability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates local variations in the plated layer properties by applying wax coating only to specific regions before plating. This results in patterned portions with distinct characteristics (different adhesion, appearance) compared to non-patterned portions, achieving the desired visual effect while maintaining overall durability through the intact plated layer structure
2Ease of manufacture
If stamping ink is used to display characters or designs on the plated layer, then cost and time are suppressed, but corrosion resistance of the hot-dip plated layer is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs the pattern formation action before hot-dip plating by applying wax coating to specific regions. This preliminary patterning approach allows the plated layer itself to have different properties in different regions, eliminating the need for subsequent ink stamping that would compromise corrosion resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the wax coating as a temporary mold or copy that defines the pattern structure during plating. The wax coating is removed after plating, leaving the patterned structure embedded in the plated layer itself, thus achieving patterns without adding corrosive ink layers
3Adaptability or versatility
If the plated layer is subjected to printing or coating to display patterns, then characters and designs can be displayed, but the metallic gloss external appearance is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates local variations in the plated layer by applying wax coating to specific regions before plating. This results in patterned portions with different visual characteristics (less metallic gloss, different texture) compared to non-patterned portions, achieving the desired adaptability while preserving metallic gloss in the non-patterned areas
Solution Approach 2:
The pattern is established in advance through wax coating application before plating. This preliminary patterning ensures that the final plated layer structure itself provides the visual contrast needed for pattern display, eliminating the need for subsequent surface treatments that would compromise the metallic gloss appearance
Data Source
AI summary
A hot-dip plated steel sheet includes a hot-dip plated layer formed on a steel sheet. An absolute value of a difference in an area fraction of a first region between a pattern portion and a non-pattern portion is 30% or more. A cross section parallel to a surface is exposed at any position of 3t/4 position, t/2 position, or t/4 position from the surface of the hot-dip plated layer, virtual lattice lines are drawn on each of the cross sections, a region in which a proportion of an area fraction B of a [Zn phase] to a total area fraction A of the [Zn phase] and an [Al/MgZn2/Zn ternary eutectic structure] is 20% or more in each of a plurality of regions partitioned by the lattice lines is defined as the first region, and a region in which the proportion is less than 20% is defined as the second region.