American Galvanizers Association Excellence Awards: Schomp Automotive Group – “Hail No” (Original Equipment Manufacturing Category)

American Galvanizers Association Excellence Awards: Schomp Automotive Group – “Hail No” (Original Equipment Manufacturing Category)

Galvanizing, Metal Coatings

Extreme hailstorms are occurring with both more intensity and frequency than just a couple decades ago. While scientists debate why these storms are different today, no one argues with their catastrophic effects.

The damage from a hailstorm can be devastating to any residential and business properties in its path. The United States experienced that largest single insured loss event in May of 2014 when a system of severe storms rained hail sporadically over a 5-day stretch causing heavy and damage and destruction from Colorado to Pennsylvania with insured losses exceeding $2.9 billion.

Colorado’s most damaging hailstorms generally occur between mid-April to mid-September, with the Front Range located in the heart of what’s now called “Hail Alley”. Colorado residents and businesses can count on three or four catastrophic (defined as at least $25 million in insured damage) hailstorms every year. The past 10 years have been brutal for Colorado, eclipsing more than $5 billion in losses, and that’s just the insured damage.

Few businesses have more exposure to these storms than new car dealerships, with car and truck inventories values into the tens of millions sitting exposed in the parking lot. A major dealership can lose a large percentage of the inventory in just a single storm. In some cases, these late model cars can incur damage that’s beyond the value of the vehicle. It’s not uncommon the numbers of damaged cars and trucks exceeds the available resources for timely repairs, leaving the decision makers with few options beyond liquidation of the damaged vehicles at a fraction of the original value.

Insurance companies have taken notice and believe this new breed of hailstorms is here for the future. Some insurers are refusing to cover dealerships (especially along the Front Range) due to the increased odds for hail damage. Others are charging rates several times higher than just a few years ago. This has left the dealerships with few avenues beyond paying these exorbitant rates while waiting to see which company will be unlucky enough to experience that aftermath of the next big storm.

Schomp Automotive Group decided on a different course of action. Rather than just waiting and watching the skies, the designers at Schomp Automotive Group began to develop a system to mitigate the hailstorm threat. In 2021, Shomp began to construct a hail-net system called “Hail No” to protect their exposed car inventory. This creative design uses large 10″ and 12″ diameter steel tube columns set in concrete to support a strong netting system with spans as long as 63′, capable of supporting up to a foot of snow. The netting system is designed to be easily taken down and stored for the winter months when snowstorms can occasionally exceed the “Hail No” system load capacity.

The hot-dip galvanizing coating was selected for its sustainability and much smaller carbon footprint than any of the other protective coating options, which would require periodic maintenance or recoating intervals every five to fifteen years. Hot-dip galvanizing has a proven track record for providing decades of maintenance free protection from corrosion. These more destructive hailstorms will be no match for the hot-dipped galvanized steel columns. The zinc and iron alloy layers that form on the steel during the galvanizing process are harder than the base metal it covers, thus providing added strength and additional protection from impact damage that would compromise other protective coatings.

Another important consideration was the fact that the hot-dip galvanizing process coats all surfaces internal and external, providing equal protection on the inside of these hollow columns. The internal galvanizing coating ensures that there are no opportunities for unseen, internal corrosion to set in. The Hail No protection system was truly designed to last a lifetime and beyond.

Insurance companies are buying in with the new “Hail No” system by lowering insurance rates as much as 40-50 percent for the vehicles protected by the new netting system. That’s enough saving to pay for the system within just a few years. Dealership interest is certainly growing along the Front Rage as well as outside the region with several dealerships making plant to invest in the “Hail No” or similar system to mitigate the hailstorm concern.

Galvanizer: AZZ Galvanizing – Denver

Owner/Specifier/Engineer: Schomp Automotive Group

Fabricator: Bois Welding

Other: Crossland Construction

American Galvanizers Association Excellence Awards: Protective Stadium – UAB Blazers (Recreation & Entertainment Category)

American Galvanizers Association Excellence Awards: Protective Stadium – UAB Blazers (Recreation & Entertainment Category)

Galvanizing, Metal Coatings

The City of Birmingham and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have had discussions for 35 years on how to replace Legion Field (UAB’s home field since 1927), which lacks the amenities of modern sports venues and is a maintenance drag because of its age. It took decades for the stadium to take shape, with ideas ranging from an on-campus open-air venue to a domed stadium to attract a professional franchise. Finally, UAB,  along with local governments, the area civic center authority and Birmingham-based Protective Life Corporation designed and built an outdoor stadium in downtown Birmingham.

As part of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, the 45,000-seat venue will be the new home for the UAB Blazers football team, as well as host the Birmingham Bowl, high school football championships, concerts and The World Games opening and closing ceremonies in 2022.

The $200 million civic infrastructure investment must live up to the hype and be able to preserve its beauty and stature for decades to come. Therefore, the design team called on the reliable corrosion protection system: hot-dip galvanized steel. The fabricator has years of experience with hot-dip galvanized coatings on high profile projects such as the Texas Motor Speedway and Daytona Speedway. In fact, the fabricator’s preference for corrosion protection is a hot-dip galvanized coating due to its maintenance and corrosion-free life expectancy.

The general contractor broke ground in January 2020, just before the world changed. It was imperative to have the stadium completed by October 2nd for the first home game of the UAB 2021 football season. The COVID-19 pandemic nor weather delays could stand in the way of the budgeted completion dates. Fortunately, hot-dip galvanizing can be completed in all-weather situations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Additionally, hot-dip galvanizing was deemed an essential industry and AZZ did not experience downtime during the pandemic; while the impacts of COVID-19 were being felt in all aspects of work and live, the steel fabrication and hot-dip galvanizing of 400 tons of steel was able to remain on schedule and within the budgeted time of completion.

Protective Stadium is the centerpiece for the new entertainment district of downtown Birmingham, Alabama. The hot-dip galvanized, aesthetically pleasing venue will be highly visible to all downtown visitors, student and tourists, promoting hot-dip galvanizing as the coating preference for all outdoor venues for future generations.

Galvanizer: AZZ Galvanizing – Crowley

Fabricator: Southern Bleacher Company, Inc.

Architect: Populous

Owner: Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex

Hot-Dip Galvanizing and Zinc Plating: What’s the Difference?

Hot-Dip Galvanizing and Zinc Plating: What’s the Difference?

Uncategorised

Back to Basics — Understanding Both Galvanizing Methods

Generally speaking, galvanizing is the process of applying a thin layer of zinc over a material, typically steel, to protect it from corrosion or rust. This considerably extends the life of the base metal, making it sustainably and economically advantageous when planning your project.

Hot-dip galvanization is named “hot” for a reason. After the raw metal has been cleaned and impurities have been removed, a non-oxidizing flux compound is applied. That’s when the heat and zinc come into play — the metal is immersed in a molten zinc bath at 830 to 870 degrees Fahrenheit. The compounds form a bond, creating a layer of pure zinc on the outer surface of the metal. HDG typically results in a strong, thick coating with a dull finish.

Zinc plating, however, utilizes a different approach: after submerging the metal into an electrolytic solution, an electrically charged anode of pure zinc is placed into the solution. This is where its naming convention of ‘electro’ makes sense — electricity is then used to move electrons from the anode to the cathode, causing the zinc to dissolve and bond to the surface of the metal. This method delivers a thinner coating of protection, but a shiny finish and uniform color.

Advantages of HDG and Zinc Plating

You might be thinking, “HDG has a thicker protection layer; isn’t that the clear preferred choice?” The answer is that it all depends on your project needs. For instance, while HDG is preferred for direct outdoor exposure since it’s almost 10 times thicker, zinc plating is sometimes the preferred choice when the project has a cosmetic appeal. Zinc plating is also a great choice when galvanizing a small, thin part, as zinc plating will often induce less stress on the component.

Regardless of which process you choose, both solutions deter rust and corrosion and extend the life of your project.

Trust AZZ to Protect Your Critical Infrastructure

With more than 60 years in the industry, AZZ is North America’s leading provider of galvanizing fabricated steel. Our comprehensive metal coating capabilities extend infrastructure longevity for a stronger, safer, and more sustainable world.

Contact us today to request additional information or receive a quote.

The Importance of AS9100 and NADCAP Certification

The Importance of AS9100 and NADCAP Certification

Surface Technologies

Two of these standards are known as the AS9100 and NADCAP Certification, both earned by ‘AZZ Surface Technologies – Gainesville’ in North Texas.

These regulations often fall at the hands of OEM manufacturers, who must ensure they follow these guidelines. When it comes to AS9100 and NADCAP Certification, one is not better than the other, although it is important to note that a company must be AS9100 certified before NADCAP auditing can take place.

So, let’s take a dive into the two certifications and what they mean for aerospace companies.

What Is AS9100 Certification?

AS9100 is among one of the most common manufacturing certifications. It is used for audit and quality management for OEMs and suppliers and is made by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG).

But, it doesn’t stop at IAQG member companies. The world’s aerospace supply chain, including the defense and space sectors, civil aviation authorities, regional and national defense authorities, registration/certification bodies, and others are also a part of this critical group of stakeholders.

AS9100 certification indicates that an OEM has high-quality communication and quality system in place. They must also have passed several additional requirements for safety and quality control. This is a sign that a manufacturer is high-quality and they are following the standards in the industry.

What is NADCAP?

NADCAP is the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program. It was established in 1990 by the Society of Automotive Engineers and was meant to provide an accreditation program for companies in aerospace-related industries. The Performance Review Institute (PRI) conducts audits and AS9110 is a prerequisite for NADCAP Certification.

As an industry-driven certification, it is covered by company-level accreditation. It focuses on specific processes, such as chemical processing, coatings, heat treating, conventional machining, non-destructive testing, and welding.

When looking for a manufacturer make sure your partners are certified and following AS9100 and NADCAP guidelines.

‘AZZ Surface Technologies – Gainesville’ has Earned Both.

As a proven partner to the aerospace and defense industries, ‘AZZ Surface Technologies – Gainesville’ is pleased to have earned both AS9100 and NADCAP certifications. Our North American network of state-of-the-art, highly automated facilities enables us to integrate seamlessly into your supply chain and provides the capacity and fast turn-around times to meet your most demanding production schedules with consistent, on-time delivery.

AZZ Metal Coatings Set to Exhibit at FABTECH 2021

AZZ Metal Coatings Set to Exhibit at FABTECH 2021

Galvanizing, Surface Technologies

FABTECH provides a convenient ‘one-stop shop’ venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools to improve productivity, increase profits and discover new solutions to all of your metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing needs.

AZZ is pleased to exhibit at this year’s event, showcasing its comprehensive metal coatings capabilities at booth D45868.

In addition the exhibition, the conference features a full slate of session topics, including: 3D/additive manufacturing, automation/robotics, cutting, finishing, forming and fabricating, job shop, laser, lean, management, marketing and sales, smart manufacturing, stamping, and workforce development.

The American Welding Society (AWS) presents a comprehensive lineup of welding education. Led by the industry’s top professionals, programs focus on best practices and new commercial developments in welding.

Please make plans to join us in Chicago and learn about AZZ’s wide range of high-quality metal finishing and coating solutions here.