Mumbai:
The
Rs650-crore appliance division of Godrej & Boyce Mfg.
Co. Ltd has launched a new range of refrigerators using
ZOP (zinc oxide protection), with a 10-year warranty against
rusting. The company says this is the first time that
ZOP has been used in refrigerators.
The
new range of refrigerators is now made with 100 per cent
galvanized steel in contrast to regular cold rolled steel.
During the galvanisation process, the steel is coated
with zinc, which renders the surface resistant to corrosion.
When atmospheric oxygen comes in contact with zinc, the
formation of Zinc Oxide helps prevent the breakdown of
the surface integrity of the base steel substrate, unlike
the iron oxide (rust) in regular steel.
The
refrigerators are further coated with epoxy powder. This
dual process of galvanization and powder coating gives
each refrigerator a double protection.
According
to metallurgist Dr N C Jain, , "A Zinc coating has
the unique property of preventing oxidation of the protected
surface by forming a barrier and thus acting as a sacrificial
anode. This process of galvanization is widely used in
making cars and ships rust resistant.."
From
April 2006, all refrigerators being manufactured by Godrej
are made using ZOP technology and will carry the 10-year
'rust-free' warranty.
The
Godrej Group is one of the largest manufacturers of home
appliances in India and. in 1958, it became the first
Indian company to manufacture refrigerators in the domestic
market
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