Stainless steel and galvanized steel are the most common materials for electrical enclosures. They have great differences in durability, safety, performance and application. This article explores the differences between stainless steel and galvanized steel in composition, corrosion resistance, strength, durability and other aspects. If you are unsure which type of enclosure to choose for industrial, commercial, or outdoor applications, this article can assist you in your decision-making.
스테인리스 스틸 인클로저란 무엇입니까?
When choosing an electrical enclosure, the first material that comes to your mind might be stainless steel. What is a stainless steel enclosure? Stainless steel enclosure is renowned for its excellent corrosion resistance, strength and durability. It can protect your equipment and electronics in the harsh environment.
Stainless steel is an iron-based alloy. The difference between stainless steel and steel is that stainless steel is added with chromium, and the content is usually not less than 10.5%. Chromium can form a layer on the surface of the stainless steel enclosure, which can protect the metal from rusting and chemical erosion. This is the fundamental reason why stainless steel enclosures have excellent corrosion resistance.
Stainless steel enclosure properties are mainly determined by its alloying elements. Besides chromium, stainless steel also contains nickel, molybdenum, carbon, manganese and nitrogen. Each element is added to improve specific mechanical, chemical and processing properties. These properties determine the grade and performance of stainless steel enclosure.
아연 도금 강철 인클로저란 무엇입니까?
Galvanized steel enclosure achieves anti-corrosion by plating a layer of zinc on the surface of carbon steel. Unlike stainless steel enclosure, galvanized steel enclosure mainly relies on a zinc layer to prevent rust and extend service life. The most common galvanizing method is hot-dip galvanizing. However, the manufacturer may also use electrogalvanizing, depending on your surface treatment and thickness requirements.
Galvanized steel enclosure provides you with a more practical and economic enclosure material. It has the strength of carbon steel and the corrosion resistance provided by the zinc coating. The zinc coating of galvanized steel enclosure can also prevent nails, bolts, nuts and screws from rusting when used outdoors.
However, its corrosion resistance is limited, which mainly depends on the thickness of the coating and the exposure environment. Once the zinc plating is depleted, the carbon steel is easy to corrosion and the performance of the enclosure will greatly deteriorate.
Difference Between Stainless Steel Enclosure and Galvanized Steel Enclosure
Material Structure and Composition
Although stainless steel and galvanized steel enclosures both adopt steel, their forming methods are different. Stainless steel enclosure is formed by integrating key elements such as chromium and nickel with iron during the melting process, resulting in an integrated alloy with uniform composition.
Unlike stainless steel, galvanized steel is made by coating a thin layer of zinc on the surface of steel. Hot-dip galvanizing involves immersing the steel in molten zinc, resulting in a multi-layer coating of zinc and iron alloy, which helps the metal resist corrosion.
Therefore, you can easily come to the corrosion characteristics of stainless steel is the material itself. In other words, the corrosion resistance of stainless steel is permanent. However, the anti-corrosion property of galvanized steel is only formed through post-processing.
부식 저항성
The stainless steel enclosure manufacturing process is significantly different from galvanized steel. The chromium element inside the stainless steel enclosure reacts with oxygen to form a dense and invisible oxide chromium film. This film can physically isolate the corrosive medium. Even if this film is damaged or scratched, it can regenerate.
In contrast, the zinc layer oxidizes before the steel and delays the rusting process of the galvanized steel enclosure. Usually the zinc layer of hot dip galvanized is thicker than electric galvanized. As long as the zinc layer is not completely consumed, the steel substrate will not rust.
The corrosion resistance of stainless steel is undoubtedly better than galvanized steel. Stainless steel is very good at resisting chemical corrosion, pitting and crevice corrosion. Especially 316 stainless steel can also resist chloride ions. This means that it can be applied in seaside or chemical experiment environments. However, in an oxygen-deficient, high-chlorine, or specific acidic environment, its passive film will be partially damaged, leading to pitting corrosion.
Galvanized steel is less protective against physical scratches than stainless steel. Its corrosion resistance is good in natural environments. However, zinc will dissolve rapidly in acidic or strong alkaline environments. Therefore, the welding and cutting edges of the galvanized steel enclosure are very prone to rusting, eventually forming white rust.
Strength and Performance
For strength, the strength of a stainless steel enclosure comes from the material itself, while galvanized steel enclosure is more dependent on the material thickness.
Stainless Steel vs Galvanized Steel Mechanical Strength: The alloy elements within the stainless steel and its different crystal structures are the reasons why its yield strength and tensile strength are stronger than the same thickness of galvanized steel. The strength of galvanized steel mainly depends on the grade and thickness of the low-carbon steel base material. Galvanization does not increase the mechanical strength of the material.
Stainless Steel vs Galvanized Steel Stiffness: Due to the higher strength of stainless steel, under the same load, stainless steel is easier to achieve lightweight design compared to galvanized steel. For galvanized steel to achieve the same stiffness as stainless steel, a thicker material is required. This will undoubtedly increase the weight of the galvanized steel enclosure.
Stainless Steel vs Galvanized Steel Wear-resistance: Stainless steel is more resistant to scratching, wear and surface impact. You can apply stainless steel enclosures in environments that are frequently subjected to physical contact. The zinc layer of galvanized steel is easily scratched. And its substrate hardness is low, anti impact sag ability is weak.
Temperature and Environmental Tolerance
The thermal resistance of the stainless steel enclosure is superior to galvanized steel enclosure. Austenitic stainless steel (304/316 stainless steel) can operate continuously at 500℃ without undergoing severe oxidation. Stainless steel can keep its strength at high temperatures and does not release harmful substances.
While zinc softens and loses adhesion at 200℃. If you expose a galvanized steel enclosure to an environment above 150℃ for a long time, it will accelerate the aging and failure of the zinc layer.
In extremely low-temperature conditions, such as at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (-196℃), austenitic stainless steel still keeps excellent toughness and ductility. However, the galvanized steel of low-carbon steel substrate will become brittle and even fracture at low temperatures. Therefore, you can apply stainless steel enclosures in cryogenic environments, but galvanized steel is not suitable.
Stainless steel has high chemical inertness and is safer to use. You can apply it in fields such as food, beverages, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals, which have high hygiene and regulatory requirements. However, the zinc layer is prone to chemical reactions with acids or alkalis. Therefore, galvanized steel enclosures are not suitable for direct contact with food.
Durability and Lifespan
Based on the comparison of the characteristics of stainless steel and galvanized steel mentioned above, you can easily understand that stainless steel usually has higher strength, hardness and wear resistance than galvanized steel. Compared with galvanized steel, the stainless steel enclosure is more sturdy, more resistant to impact and deformation.
For heat resistance, zinc will soften or even vaporize at high temperatures, completely losing its protective effect on the enclosure. However, stainless steel can withstand a wide range of temperatures without affecting the core structure.
The lifespan of stainless steel is usually over 20 years. As long as you choose the appropriate type of stainless steel enclosure, it can achieve an extremely long lifespan. However, the lifespan of galvanized steel enclosure directly depends on the thickness of the zinc layer and the rate of corrosion. You can predict its lifespan relatively accurately using standard methods.
Surface Finish and Appearance
The stainless steel enclosure itself has a variety of metallic luster ranging from matte to high gloss. If you want to achieve a modern, industrial, and high-end aesthetic, you can choose it. Besides, you can also choose to achieve more surface effects on the stainless steel surface through methods such as polishing, etching, coloring, and spraying.
If the galvanized steel enclosure you choose is treated with hot-dip galvanizing, you can customize unique patterns on it. But the gray-white pattern surface is usually rough. Therefore, most galvanized steel enclosures require a second coating. You can choose to do powder coating or paint coating to provide a customized appearance for you.
Generally, stainless steel gives superior and lasting aesthetics compared to galvanized steel.
Hygiene and Cleanliness
The polished surface of the stainless steel enclosure has almost no pores. Therefore, liquids and microorganisms have difficulty penetrating the stainless steel. This also makes the cleaning and disinfection of stainless steel extremely easy. You can use cleaning agents or chemical disinfectants on its surface for thorough cleaning without damaging the material itself.
Besides, its smooth surface can also inhibit the growth of bacteria. Especially the 304 stainless steel containing copper has a more active antibacterial effect.
Compared with stainless steel, both hot-dip galvanized steel and electro-galvanized steel have many tiny pores and cracks on enclosure surfaces. This is easy to retain water, oils and microbes.
What’s more, if you use strong acid or strong alkali cleaners, it will corrode the zinc layer, causing it to dissolve, and even potentially contaminating the enclosure. High-temperature and high-pressure cleaning will also damage the zinc layer. This greatly increases the difficulty of your cleaning process.
비용
If you only consider the material cost, the cost of galvanized steel enclosure is lower than stainless steel. Compared with 316 stainless steel and hot-dip galvanized sheets, the price of stainless steel is three times or even higher than galvanized steel. Besides, due to the high strength of stainless steel, the processing and manufacturing costs such as welding and bending of stainless steel are also higher than galvanized steel.
If you choose a stainless steel enclosure, it requires almost no surface treatment, so the cost in this aspect is also relatively low. However, if you have the need for special surface treatment, the cost of surface treatment for stainless steel will be very high. While galvanized steel enclosure almost always needs to undergo galvanization and spraying to achieve the acceptable appearance and additional protection. Therefore, this treatment cost also needs to be considered.
In the long run, stainless steel is more valuable than galvanized steel. Once installed, the stainless steel enclosure requires almost no maintenance and has a longer service life.
On the contrary, the galvanized steel enclosure needs you to regularly check for coating damage and rust. If the damage is severe, you will also need to replace the galvanized steel enclosure, which will result in higher operating cost. Even for discarded stainless steel, its recycling rate and scrap value are higher than galvanized steel.
비교표
To facilitate your quick review of the differences between stainless steel and galvanized steel enclosure, we have summarized the above content and made the following table:
| Aspect | 스테인리스 스틸 인클로저 | 아연 도금 강철 인클로저 |
| Material&Composition | Iron-based alloy containing≥10.5% chromium, often with nickel and molybdenum | Carbon steel substrate plated with a layer of zinc. |
| 부식 저항성 | 우수한 내식성 | Good initial corrosion resistance from zinc coating, but degrades with zinc consumed. |
| Strength&Performance | High tensile and yield strength with excellent impact resistance. | Strength determined by carbon steel base. |
| Temperature&Environmental Tolerance | Performs well across a wide temperature rage | Suitable for moderate temperature ranges |
| Durability&Lifespan | Very long service life with minimal degradation | Shorter lifespan depends on zinc coating thickness and environment |
| Surface Finish&Appearance | smooth,clean, and professional appearance. | Matte gray or spangled finish. Appearance may deteriorate as zinc weathers. |
| Hygiene&Cleanliness | No porous and easy to clean. | Not suitable for hygienic or sterile applications. |
| 비용 | Higher initial material and fabrication cost. Lower total cost of ownership due to minimal maintenance and long lifespan. | Lower upfront cost and economical for large-scale projects.Potentially higher long-term costs due to maintenance and replacement needs. |
Stainless Steel vs Galvanized Steel: Which Should You Choose for Your Enclosure?
Matching with Your Application Environment
Your application environment is the decisive factor in your choice. Based on the comparison of stainless steel and galvanized steel mentioned above, you can make a selection between stainless steel and galvanized steel.
Choosing stainless steel enclosure, if you:
Installed in highly corrosive environments: coastal areas, chemical plants, food processing zones, around swimming pools (containing chlorine).
Have strict hygiene standards requirements: pharmaceutical, medical industries, laboratories, direct contact areas of food and beverages.
Install in extreme temperature environments: there are high-temperature sources nearby the equipment or it is located in a cold area.
Requires excellent durability and maintenance-free: you will install the enclosure in inaccessible, high-maintenance cost or locations requiring trouble-free long-term operation.
Choosing Galvanized steel, if your enclosure:
Installed in dry and clean indoor spaces: offices, data centers, warehouses
For general outdoor or covered environments: The installation environment should not directly come into contact with salt fog, chemicals, and should have moderate shading.
No special hygiene requirements: The electrical enclosure does not contact sensitive media such as food and medicine.
Consider Your Budget
Generally speaking, the initial investment for stainless steel enclosures is high. However, its maintenance cost is extremely low and it has an extremely long service life. If you prioritize long-term investment and future value, stainless steel is your preferred choice.
The initial investment cost of galvanized steel is low. You need to consider its maintenance cost, as well as the replacement cost due to its limited lifespan. If your project budget is tight, galvanized steel can also provide you with a durable and protective solution.
Figure Out Your Specification and Appearance Requirements
If you require high strength and have a high demand for weight, or if you need an enclosure that is durable and has a metallic appearance, the stainless steel perfectly matches your requirements in strength, weight and appearance.
If your performance requirements for the enclosure are not high and you prefer something that is aesthetically pleasing and can withstand regular maintenance, you can choose the galvanized steel enclosure.
Based on the above three aspects, you can choose the enclosure material that best suits your needs from among stainless steel and galvanized steel.
자주 묻는 질문
Which is Better for Outdoor Enclosures: Stainless Steel or Galvanized Steel?
Both materials can be used outdoors. Your choice mainly depends on the environment. Stainless steel is suitable for more harsh outdoor conditions, such as coastal areas, high humidity or areas with chemical exposure. Galvanized steel is suitable for general outdoor use. It is less expensive and can provide good corrosion protection. Therefore, it is often used in distribution boxes and infrastructure projects.
Are Stainless Steel Enclosures Completely Rust-proof?
Stainless steel is highly resistant to corrosion, but it is not completely resistant to corrosion. If stainless steel is exposed to chloride for a long time, lacks proper maintenance, or is selected with the wrong material grade, it may lead to material corrosion.
What Grades of Stainless Steel are Commonly Used for Enclosures?
Both 304 and 316 stainless steels are commonly used as enclosures. 304 stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance in indoor and mild outdoor environments. It has good performance and a balanced cost. 316 stainless steel contains molybdenum and has better resistance to chlorides and chemicals. Therefore, you can apply it in coastal, marine or chemical experimental environments.
Will Galvanized Steel Rust in Water?
Yes. Galvanized steel will rust if it is left in water for a long time. If galvanized steel is immersed in water for a long period, especially in salt water or acidic water, this will accelerate the consumption of zinc. Once the zinc is depleted, the metal will rust.
Final Thought
As a professional custom manufacturer of electrical enclosures, KDM is committed to providing you with professional and high-quality electrical enclosures. Our products are made with high-quality raw materials and advanced production techniques. We also have our own custom design team to serve you. Please feel free to 문의하기. We will respond promptly and provide you with a customized solution.
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