What are the differences in surface treatment for cable trays?

Cable trays are indispensable in every aspect of our lives, safeguarding cables from external damage. There are numerous types of cable trays available. It is known that different cable trays have varying surface treatments, and different environments require different types of cable trays. Let's take a look at the distinctions in surface treatment for cable trays.

Hot-Dip Galvanized Cable Trays: The finished product undergoes acid pickling, water washing, addition of auxiliary galvanizing liquid, drying, hanging galvanizing, cooling, chemical treatment, cleaning, and sanding to complete the hot-dip galvanizing process. It is an effective method of metal corrosion prevention, commonly used on metal structural facilities across all industries. The process involves immersing the rust-removed steel into a molten zinc liquid at approximately 500°C, allowing a zinc layer to adhere to the surface of the steel components, thereby achieving corrosion prevention.

Tray Cable Bridge

The hot zinc spray coating surface is composed of uniformly distributed zinc particles, which offer excellent adhesion for paint, making it less prone to peeling. Additionally, it does not result in an uneven surface that could affect aesthetics. Hot zinc spray does not cause deformation to the workpiece. This is because it only produces a brief high temperature on the working surface, preventing any deformation of the workpiece.

Powder Coated Cable Trays: This is a surface treatment method that involves spraying plastic powder onto cable trays. It does not require thinners, is environmentally friendly with no harm to humans during construction; the coating has excellent appearance quality, strong adhesion, and mechanical strength; the curing time for the spray application is short; the coating exhibits superior corrosion and wear resistance; no primer is needed; the application process is simple, requiring minimal worker skill; and the cost is lower than that of painting. Some construction sites have explicitly stated that the use of electrostatic powder coating is mandatory; during the electrostatic powder spraying process, the dripping phenomenon commonly seen in painting processes does not occur.

Cold galvanized cable tray: It involves using electrolytic equipment to clean and degrease the cable tray, then placing it into a salt solution and connecting it to the negative pole of the electrolytic device. A zinc sheet is positioned opposite the cable tray and connected to the positive pole of the electrolytic device. When the power is turned on, the directed movement of current from the positive to the negative pole will deposit a layer of zinc on the cable tray. Cold galvanized cable trays are processed before zinc plating.

Fire-resistant Cable Trays: Although fire-resistant trays have a similar appearance to powder-coated trays, their performance is entirely different. The primary function of fire-resistant trays is fire resistance, featuring a certain fire rating and commonly used in locations with fire protection requirements. The surface is rough, giving a gritty texture when touched. In the event of a fire, they will not ignite and can prevent the spread of flames, thereby providing fire protection. The fire-resistant coating can be designed to match the construction environment and select the color of the tray.

The above is an introduction to the differences in surface treatment for cable trays. The performance of cable trays with different surface treatments also varies. You can choose the appropriate cable tray based on your environmental installation requirements.