Galfan - A New Coating for Automotive Tubing

Galfan is an ILZRO-developed zinc-base alloy for coating ferrous products. It is essentially a zinc/aluminum alloy of eutectic composition (5.0% Al), to which has been added a small amount (nominally 0.05%) of cerium and of lanthanum. The coating has excellent ductility and corrosion resistance. These qualities make it an ideal candidate for automotive tubing applications; it is currently being used in automotive transmission-oil cooler lines. In this application, it represents an alternative to a coating system wherein a zinc-rich paint is applied over a terne coating. This paper discusses certain aspects of the production, product testing and performance of Galfan coated tubing produced by Arc Tube Inc., Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.