Corrosion protection is a critical engineering requirement wherever steel components operate under moisture, salt, chemicals, heat, vibration, mechanical loading or outdoor exposure. Automotive chassis and underbody components encounter road salt and water, railway fasteners operate in rain and humidity, wind turbine bolts face severe weather and coastal conditions, while agricultural, construction, mining and marine equipment can be exposed to water, chemicals, soil and abrasive contaminants.
GEOMET® zinc flake coating is an advanced zinc-aluminium flake corrosion protection technology developed for these demanding applications. The coating combines a relatively thin protective film with barrier and sacrificial corrosion protection. Its non-electrolytic application process also makes it particularly relevant for high-strength steel fasteners where hydrogen embrittlement associated with electrolytic coating deposition is an important engineering consideration.
What Is GEOMET® Zinc Flake Coating?
GEOMET® is a zinc flake coating technology in which microscopic zinc and aluminium flakes are incorporated into a protective binder system. After application and curing, the flakes form overlapping layers across the metal surface. This structure creates a physical barrier that restricts the penetration of moisture, oxygen, electrolytes and other corrosive media.
At the same time, zinc provides cathodic or sacrificial corrosion protection to the underlying steel. If the protective layer is locally damaged, the electrochemical activity of zinc allows it to preferentially corrode and help protect the exposed steel.
Unlike electrolytic zinc plating, GEOMET® is applied through a non-electrolytic coating process. This is particularly important for high-strength steel components because the coating deposition process does not involve electrolytic hydrogen generation.
ISO 10683:2018 covers non-electrolytically applied zinc-flake coating systems for steel fasteners including bolts, screws, studs, nuts, washers, pins and clips, and identifies their use for high-strength fasteners of 1,000 MPa and above where internal hydrogen embrittlement is a concern. (ISO)
GEOMET® for Automotive Chassis, Underbody and Fasteners
Automotive components operate under a combination of mechanical stress, road contamination, humidity, water, salt and temperature variation. The chassis and underbody are particularly exposed because they are close to the road surface and regularly encounter water, mud and corrosive contaminants.
This creates applications for automotive corrosion protection coating, automotive zinc flake coating, automotive fastener coating, chassis corrosion coating and underbody corrosion coating. Suitable components can include control arms, suspension hardware, brackets, clips, washers, bolts and other fastening or stamped parts.
For control arm coating and suspension component coating, corrosion protection has to be balanced with dimensional and mechanical requirements. Similarly, automotive underbody fastener coating needs to withstand moisture and road-salt exposure while maintaining thread engagement and assembly performance.
The relatively thin nature of zinc flake systems is advantageous for precision components because corrosion protection can be achieved without the substantial dimensional build-up associated with some thicker coating systems.
GEOMET® Applications in Brake Systems
Brake components present a different technical challenge because they operate under mechanical loading and elevated temperatures while being exposed to moisture and road contaminants.
GEOMET® technology has applications in brake disc coating, brake rotor coating, brake component corrosion coating and coating for brake discs. The selected coating system must be appropriate for the substrate, operating temperature, friction requirements and functional surface of the component.
Growel’s GEOMET® information identifies brake discs among its application areas, while specific GEOMET® systems are designed for corrosion protection of brake-related components. (Growel)
For brake components, coating selection is therefore an engineering decision rather than simply an anti-rust treatment.
GEOMET® for Electric Vehicles and Battery-Related Components
Electrification is creating new requirements for corrosion-resistant metal hardware. Electric vehicles contain chassis, suspension, underbody, battery enclosure and structural components that can encounter moisture, road salt and environmental contaminants.
This creates opportunities for EV chassis corrosion coating, EV fastener coating and battery enclosure fastener coating.
Fasteners used around battery enclosures and structural assemblies need corrosion protection while maintaining their dimensional characteristics and mechanical performance. Zinc flake technology can provide a thin protective layer while also offering the benefits associated with non-electrolytic processing for suitable high-strength components.
As EV platforms increasingly use lightweight materials alongside high-strength steel, coating compatibility with the substrate and the possibility of galvanic interaction between dissimilar metals also become important considerations.
GEOMET® for Commercial Vehicles, Trucks and Trailers
Commercial vehicles, trucks and trailers experience extended operating cycles, vibration, road contamination and weather exposure. Their chassis, underbody and fastening systems therefore require durable corrosion protection.
Applications can include truck fastener coating, trailer fastener coating, chassis bolts, suspension hardware, brackets, clamps and structural fastening components.
For high-strength fastening systems, the coating must provide corrosion resistance while maintaining thread geometry and predictable friction characteristics. This is where zinc flake technology can provide a useful combination of thin-film protection, corrosion resistance and controlled friction.
GEOMET® for Railway Fasteners and Rail Components
Railway systems operate continuously in outdoor environments, making corrosion protection particularly important for exposed fastening components.
Applications for rail fastener coating and railway corrosion protection can include railway bolts, nuts, screws, studs, washers, pins, clips, spring steel rail clips and selected structural or bogie fastening hardware.
The technical relevance of zinc-flake technology to these components is reinforced by ISO 10683, which specifically includes bolts, screws, studs, nuts, washers, pins and clips within its scope. (ISO)
For railway fasteners manufactured from high-strength steel, the non-electrolytic nature of GEOMET® is another important consideration because hydrogen introduction during electrolytic coating deposition is avoided.
Railway components may also require controlled friction characteristics. Where a defined coefficient of friction is necessary, suitable GEOMET® topcoat systems can be selected to achieve the required friction behaviour and support predictable torque-tension performance during assembly.
GEOMET® for Wind Turbine Fasteners and Renewable Energy
Wind turbines are exposed to rain, humidity, UV radiation, temperature changes and, in offshore or coastal locations, salt-laden atmospheres. Their structural connections depend heavily on high-strength bolts and other fastening hardware.
This creates applications for wind turbine fastener coating and wind turbine bolts corrosion protection.
Zinc flake technology can provide corrosion protection for suitable high-strength fasteners while maintaining a relatively thin coating profile. The combination of sacrificial zinc protection and the barrier effect of zinc-aluminium flakes is particularly relevant where long-term environmental exposure is expected.
GEOMET® for Construction Equipment and Structural Hardware
Construction equipment operates under highly variable conditions. Excavators, loaders, cranes and other heavy equipment encounter water, mud, dust, chemicals, vibration and mechanical loading.
Construction equipment corrosion coating and construction equipment fastener coating can therefore be relevant for bolts, nuts, washers, brackets, clamps, pins and other suitable metal components.
For structural and load-bearing fasteners, corrosion protection must work alongside the mechanical properties of the component. Zinc flake coatings are particularly relevant where high-strength fasteners require corrosion protection without introducing hydrogen during an electrolytic deposition process.
GEOMET® for Agricultural Equipment
Agricultural machinery presents a combination of moisture, soil, fertilizers, chemicals and mechanical contamination. These conditions can accelerate corrosion of exposed metal hardware.
Applications for agriculture equipment corrosion coating can include bolts, nuts, washers, clamps, brackets, clips and other fastening components used in tractors, harvesting equipment and agricultural machinery.
The zinc-aluminium flake structure provides both barrier and sacrificial protection, while the thin-film approach can help preserve component dimensions and assembly interfaces.
GEOMET® for Mining, Heavy Equipment and Marine Applications
Mining equipment operates in abrasive and chemically demanding environments where moisture, dust, minerals and mechanical wear can accelerate degradation. Suitable mining equipment fastener coating applications include high-strength bolts, nuts, washers, brackets and fastening hardware.
Marine and coastal equipment presents another severe corrosion environment because of continuous exposure to moisture and salt. Marine fastener corrosion coating can therefore be used for suitable bolts, nuts, screws, washers and structural fastening components where high corrosion resistance is required.
In both industries, coating selection depends on the substrate, geometry, operating environment, required corrosion performance and assembly conditions.
GEOMET® for Springs, Clamps, Clips and Stamped Components
Zinc flake technology is not restricted to conventional threaded fasteners. It can also be used for suitable spring coating corrosion protection, spring band clamp coating, hose clamp coating, stamped parts corrosion coating, clip coating corrosion protection and washer coating applications.
Springs and spring-steel components are particularly sensitive to surface condition and mechanical integrity. A corrosion-protection system therefore needs to provide durable environmental protection without compromising the component’s intended function.
Similarly, clamps, clips and stamped components often have complex geometries where uniform coating coverage is important.
Technical Benefits of GEOMET® Zinc Flake Technology
The major engineering advantage of GEOMET® is that several protection mechanisms and functional characteristics are combined within one coating technology.
The zinc and aluminium flakes provide a barrier against corrosive media, while zinc provides sacrificial protection to steel. The coating can be applied in relatively thin layers, helping preserve dimensional tolerances on threaded and precision components.
The non-electrolytic application process makes the technology particularly suitable for high-strength fasteners where hydrogen embrittlement associated with electrolytic coating deposition needs to be avoided. Suitable topcoat systems can additionally provide controlled friction characteristics for applications where torque-tension behaviour is important.
GEOMET® is also available as a water-based, chrome-free coating technology, supporting environmental and regulatory requirements for modern manufacturing. Depending on the selected system, coating configurations can provide high salt-spray performance and resistance to demanding environmental exposure.
GEOMET® Zinc Flake Coating from Growel
Across automotive, EV, commercial vehicles, railways, renewable energy, construction, agriculture, mining and marine industries, the objective remains the same: protect critical metal components against corrosion while maintaining their mechanical and dimensional performance.
Growel provides GEOMET® zinc flake coating chemistry and technology for manufacturers seeking advanced corrosion-protection solutions.
From automotive fasteners and chassis components to EV battery enclosure fasteners, brake components, railway bolts, wind turbine fasteners, construction equipment hardware, agricultural machinery components and industrial fastening systems, GEOMET® can be selected according to the substrate, geometry, corrosion requirement, temperature, friction specification and operating environment.
The result is a technically engineered approach to corrosion protection—using zinc-aluminium flake technology to extend the durability and reliability of critical metal components across modern industries.
FAQs
1. How can I get in touch with your team for GEOMET® coating requirements?
You can contact us directly by emailing corporatecommunications@growel.com. Our team will be happy to assist you with your GEOMET® coating requirements, technical questions, application guidance, or project inquiries.
2. Is there any inquiry form that I need to fill out?
Please visit our GEOMET® Wind & Solar Solutions page and fill out the simple for our team to get back to you.
3. Is there a support email if I have questions about the website or technical issues?
Yes! For any queries related to GEOMET® coating, zinc flake coating, wind turbine fasteners, solar mounting systems, or technical assistance, please reach out to corporatecommunications@growel.com. We’ll ensure your query is resolved promptly.