Why Is Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium More Suitable For Solar Mounting System?

Photovoltaic mounting systems are the “skeleton” supporting photovoltaic modules. Their performance directly impacts the operational stability, power generation efficiency, and investment returns of a photovoltaic power station. These making them crucial in photovoltaic power station construction. People use solar mounting systems to install, support, and secure solar panels. So why is Zn-Al-Mg more suitable for solar mounting system?

Fixed mounting systems offer a simple structure, excellent stability, and low initial investment and maintenance costs. Due to their superior stability and low upfront investment, fixed mounts occupy a significant share of the solar mounting market and are currently the mainstream type.

Normally, we require solar systems to operate reliably for over 25 years in harsh natural environments. This requires strong mechanical properties such as resistance to wind, snow, earthquakes, and corrosion to ensure proper operation in a variety of harsh environments, including wind, sand, rain, snow, and earthquakes.

Because we mount and fix the solar brackets to other components, so we must slit and punch the raw material. We use pre-galvanized steel directly which can easily lead to corrosion at the cuts and punched holes.

For a long time, hot-dip galvanizing was the method used after processing the steel. While this method offers the advantage of covering cuts and punched holes with hot-dip galvanizing. It also involves numerous post-processing steps, including transportation and storage. This leads to higher costs, environmental concerns, and a lack of quality assurance. With the development of the photovoltaic industry, the market urgently needs an alternative to hot-dip galvanizing.

Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium coated steel plate refers to a coated steel plate in which a certain amount of Al and Mg is added to the existing hot-dip galvanized coating or a certain amount of Mg is added to the hot-dip aluminum-zinc coating. It has the characteristics of high corrosion resistance and high edge protection performance.
The results of published laboratory accelerated tests, outdoor exposure tests, etc. have shown that increasing the Al and Mg content within a certain range will increase the corrosion resistance by several to ten times.
Another major advantage of adding Mg to the coating is that the edge corrosion resistance of the steel plate is improved. The Zn-based corrosion products containing Mg will cover the surface of the cut, thereby forming protection for the cut.

(1) High corrosion resistance: The magnesium (Mg) component in the coating is conducive to promoting the formation of a very stable and dense protective film, forming and maintaining a film-like covering layer on the surface of the coating, thereby exerting excellent corrosion resistance.

(2) Cut protection: If we expose the cut part of the steel plate to the air and is prone to red rust corrosion. However, the alloy elements in the zinc-aluminum-magnesium surface coating form water-soluble ions in an atmospheric corrosion environment. As the liquid film flows, it gradually covers the incision, forming a stable protective film. This covers the red rust at the incision position and significantly improves the corrosion resistance of the incision.

(3) Easy to stamp: We use a reciprocating friction tester to evaluate the friction behavior of the Zn-Al-Mg coating and the pure zinc coating (GI) during multiple friction processes. The friction coefficient of the zinc-aluminum-magnesium coating is 15% lower than that of the pure zinc coating. And it remains stable during the reciprocating friction process, indicating that the zinc-aluminum-magnesium coating has excellent wear resistance.

(1) Shortening process costs: The use of hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg can omit hot-dip galvanizing and post-processing processes as well as supporting transportation. It also saves storage and other links, reduce pollutant emissions, improve efficiency and save costs.

(2) Improved corrosion resistance: Under neutral salt spray test conditions, the flat corrosion resistance of the Zn-Al-Mg coating is significantly better than that of hot-dip pure zinc coating.

(3) Improved warranty period: Zinc-aluminum-magnesium products can provide a warranty period of more than 25 years. This meets the photovoltaic industry’s requirement of more than 20 years of use. As the mainstream application product for solar brackets, we can process and use Zinc-Aluminum-Magnesium plates directly. We can shorten the component product processing period and making the project schedule more controllable. In addition, due to its corrosion resistance, wear resistance, paint resistance and good welding processability, it has been widely used in various industries. Whether in the photovoltaic (construction) industry, automobile manufacturing, animal husbandry, or airport and high-speed rail construction, we can see Zn-Al-Mg plates.

So why is Zn-Al-Mg more suitable for solar mounting system? Above all are the answers. We Wanhos Solar, as a leading China-based manufacturer of solar products and solar solutions provider for 11 years, we have extensive experience and a professional team in Zn-Al-Mg brackets for large photovoltaic projects. Over the years, we have provided first-class Zn-Al-Mg solar structure and satisfactory services for solar power station projects and large-scale ground/carport/agricultural projects in dozens of countries. If you are interested in knowing more or share insights with us, please feel free to contact!