The Elphal Process—A New Method of Coating Steel Strip with Aluminium and other Metals

Abstract

Electrophoretic deposition is now recognized as a versatile method of coating single articles with a powder. The Elphal process extends the use of this technique to the continuous coating of metal strip. The powder is applied, compacted and sintered, if necessary, in an inline plant. The Elphal process for coating steel strip with aluminium is described in some detail together with some of the properties of the material. Coatings of metals other than aluminium may be applied to steel or to other metal strip. The Elphal process is particularly useful for depositing alloys which are difficult to apply by other methods. A large range of coating thicknesses is possible, the lower limit being set by the particle size of the powder available. Generally speaking, the method is ideal for coating up to about 40 microns.