CORROSION EXPERTS

Infrastructure

Worldwide, there are approximately 1.17 m km of railway networks, all of which needs to be maintained for long-term use. Damage results directly in the blocking of sections of the railway and therefore expensive disruptions to freight and passenger transport. As a result, components used to secure rail sections need to be provided with enduring, effective protection against corrosion, depending on where they are employed - for example salty air on the coast - as well as chemical and mechanical stress.

Exemplary components

Rail clampsSleeper screws

Rail clamps are used to secure rails on railway tracks. In addition to high corrosion protection performance, the coating must also display high resistance to stone impacts. The application of coloured topcoats is also often necessary.

Sleeper screws need to be protected against corrosive influences and alkaline and acidic cleaning agents with a high-performance coating. At the same time, the coating should enable individual coefficients of friction and good fastening properties.

 

Requirements

  • Corrosion protection (1,440 h as per DIN EN ISO 9227)
  • Colouring
  • Cost savings
  • Resistance to cleaning agents (alkaline and acidic cleaning agents)
  • Defined coefficients of friction
  • Chromium (VI)-free

Solutions

Zinc flake technology offers high-performance protection for rail-securing components. It achieves a high level of cathodic corrosion protection with extremely thin coats. This minimises the risk of sudden failure and expensive downtime for high-tensile steel components in particular. In addition, the technology also displays high resistance to aggressive cleaning agents. This serves to ensure the functional capability of the infrastructure components Finally, the coating also offers an economical and constructively-beneficial alternative to hot-dip galvanisation in the area of overhead cables.