What is aluminized steel?

[Shel_B]

I've heard the term mentioned in various contexts and always thought it was a steel part covered with aluminum in some manner. I don't know how correct that assumption is.

What exactly is aluminized steel and how is it made? Is it comparable to stainless wrt durability? I imagine it's less expensive.

 

[Lubener]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminized_steel

 

[K-Man]

You're right about what aluminized steel is. Essentially, it's steel dipped in a molten aluminum alloy much like hot-dipped galvanizing. In some applications it has excellent properties including claimed resistance to corrosion.

 

[Skippy722]

As the other guys said it’s basically steel dipped in molten aluminum. Cheaper and easier to work with than stainless steel, but can be less durable than stainless.

 

[Shel_B]

Thanks guys! I don't know why I didn't check Wiki, which would have fleshed out the answers, but all was helpful.

 

[Kira]

I recall Ford mentioning their "aluminized exhaust systems" in ads.

 

[dnewton3]

It is very common in some industries which need material to be more resistant to corrosion, at a cost less than stainless steel.
Aluminized steel is used in very, very large quantities for production of mufflers, heat exchangers, etc.

While some folks would decry the "cheap" aluminized-steel versus s/s, there are desirable traits that alum-steel has over it's more expensive counterpart past cost savings; alum-steel forms much easier in stamping operations, and also (if formed properly) can have a lower propensity to splitting/cracking than s/s as well. Alum-steel also has been shown to have excellent corrosion resistant properties when properly coated.

 

[oil pan 4]

The aluminum coating makes it heat resistant because of the layer of aluminum oxide that forms.

 

[The_Jeff]

Alum-steel also has been shown to have excellent corrosion resistant properties when properly coated.

Wonderful, until you weld it, then the weld and area immediately adjacent rusts out first.

 

[Trav]

It works great for fixing bodies in non structural areas when bonding, it helps prevent further rusting especially when the rust was cut out.