Getting to grips with galvanised shelving
Galvanised shelving is widely used in all sorts of industrial settings, particularly where the shelving may be exposed to moisture for prolonged periods of time. The use of galvanised steel helps protect the shelving from corrosion. This kind of shelving is recognisable from the bright silvery-white finish it has. It is interesting that as a word, the term 'galvanised' has two meanings these days. One meaning is used to describe sudden movement, as in 'galvanised into action' and this comes from the discovery by the renowned nineteenth century scientist Michael Faraday that electric shocks would make a dead frog's severed leg twitch energetically. The other meaning describes the process of applying metal coatings, particularly zinc, to iron or steel items. Zinc is bright silver-white in colour and does not rust, but because it is relatively expensive cannot be used to build shelving.
Advantages of galvanised shelving
However ferrous metals like iron and steel are relatively strong and inexpensive. But although they have the advantage of strength, they have the disadvantage that they are prone to rust, which is why a zinc coating on an iron or steel item can be the best solution in many circumstances. Originally the zinc coating was achieved using electricity, through the process of electro-deposition. However these days, a zinc coating is achieved by dipping the specially prepared iron or steel item into a vat of molten zinc.
Galvanised shelving in cold storage rooms
Galvanised shelving is an ideal solution for cold-storage rooms. Here, the air will be refrigerated or cooled so that the perishable items stored there will be kept in good condition. Medical items are often stored in cold rooms in hospitals and research establishments. Such items include things like drugs, surgical materials and medical samples. The food and drinks industries are another big user of all types of galvanised shelving. Factories and supermarkets will have chilled rooms where they store perishable foods like meats and dairy products. Breweries, restaurants and pubs will store all kinds of beverages on galvanised shelving.
Galvanised shelving and chemicals
In addition to pharmaceutical drugs, there are many other types of chemical product which will need to be stored in cold rooms to maintain their effectiveness which would be lost if they were stored at room temperature. In such an environment, any warmer air that may come into contact with the cold metal shelving will cause condensation on the shelving on a regular basis. For this reason it is necessary to have a shelving material that won't rust, and galvanised steel shelving is ideal in such circumstances where corrosion could occur.
Strength in a galvanised shelving unit
Galvanised shelving is usually very strong, typically designed to withstand heavy duty loads of 200kg per level. The shelving will usually have a strong central steel support and be adjustable, which makes it easily adaptable to the requirements of any application. Another advantage of the best best galvanised shelving is that there are no nuts or bolts needed to put it together. Instead, it will use a 'tap-together' system where all you need is a rubber mallet to assemble it.
