The cost efficiency and versatility of mild steel tubing makes it an excellent choice. You can use it for the likes of auto parts and construction. Services like tube expansion also help here, making it easier to adapt the tubing to suit the application.

However, even though it has its strengths, the steel is prone to corrosion when you expose it to air, moisture, and other corrosive elements. If you allow it to corrode, it is capable of lowering the tube’s lifespan. What we want to do is discuss ways in which you can fortify your tubes against corrosion. Using these approaches, your steel will be more durable and reliable.

Protective coatings and paints

Your first option is to improve mild steel corrosion resistance with protective paints and coatings. Both provide a barrier between the corrosive elements and metal. Zinc works especially well for protecting steel. It defends the base metal and supplies sacrificial protection. For powder coating, you apply a dry powder and cure it under heat. It forms a hard layer that resists wear, impacts, and corrosion.

To prepare for paint or coating, you must meticulously clean the surface of your mild steel tubing. Remove any debris, grease, or dust. By priming the exterior, you can augment the coating’s efficiency. As a result, you’ll get an extra layer of protection and improve adhesion.

It is vital to consider the project’s particular environmental challenges and aesthetic needs here. For instance, epoxy coatings are famous for their chemical resistance and durability. As for acrylic paints, they come in many finishes and colours for decorative needs. Contact us if you need expert tube expansion services.

Environmental and physical protection

Lowering the tubing’s direct exposure to corrosive elements can prolong its lifespan. There are various physical and environmental strategies to try. Design considerations are essential. For example, by designing structures with sloping exteriors, you can prevent water from gathering in mild steel tubing. Moreover, protective shields or cladding could further isolate steel from corrosive media.

Routine maintenance

By carrying out periodic checks, you can find corrosion signs or rust spots early. You can then intervene in time. The maintenance of steel and its protective coatings is critical in coastal or industrial settings. Here, pollutants and salts can gather on surfaces. By employing gentle brushes and cleaning agents, you can remove harmful materials without undermining the protective layers.

Cathodic protection and sacrificial anodes

Both of these solutions provide more sophisticated corrosion protection. This is especially true in corrosive areas like marine settings. A sacrificial anode is a metal that’s more reactive than steel, like magnesium or zinc. By corroding instead of steel, the anodes “sacrifice” themselves. They do this to secure the underlying material. With cathodic protection, you apply a small electrical charge to the metal to stop it from oxidising.

Advanced technology and treatments

Lastly, remember corrosion protection for mild steel is evolving. Due to this, advanced technologies and treatments supply new layers of protection. Hot-dip galvanisation remains the foremost way to safeguard steel from pollutants and moisture. You immerse the steel in molten zinc to achieve a tough protective layer. You could also introduce corrosion inhibitors to the metal’s exterior. Or, you can add them to environments such as cooling systems. This keeps interior components safe from corrosion.

New technologies and materials are redefining corrosion resistance. For example, nano-coatings produce very thin but efficient protective layers on the surface. They resist UV damage, wear, and corrosion. Corrosion-resistant alloys can provide greater protection without the need for coatings. As such, they work well in harsh environments.

Come to us for high calibre tube expansion services and more

At Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd, we supply first class tubing services to help clients get what they need. With expansion, we use all sorts of methods to open the tube end. This allows you to use it in all kinds of interesting ways. Crucially, you can get a leakproof, snug fit onto other tubes as well as various fittings.

So, if you’d like to use our tube expansion service for mild steel or other tubing, feel free to speak to us.