What Should Be Noted During The Transportation of Colour-coated Aluminium Coils?

Colour-coated aluminium coils (aluminium coils with a coating on the surface) require special protection during transportation to maintain the integrity of the coating, prevent deformation or damage to the coils, and avoid oxidation and corrosion. The following precautions should be taken:

1. Packaging Protection: Minimise Damage Risks from the Source

1. Basic Packaging Requirements

- The surface of the aluminium coil must be covered with moisture-proof film + kraft paper/plastic sheeting to ensure a sealed, moisture-proof barrier (preventing water exposure during transport that could cause coating bubbles or peeling).

- Hard plastic or metal end caps must be installed at both ends of the roll core to prevent deformation of the roll core or wear of the edge coating due to collisions during transportation.

- The entire roll must be secured with steel bands or high-strength packing straps (to prevent loosening and rolling), and soft padding (such as rubber pads) must be placed between the packing straps and the aluminium coil to prevent damage to the coating.

2. Reinforcement for special environments

- If the transportation route is rainy or humid (e.g., coastal areas or during the rainy season), an additional layer of waterproof canvas should be added to the outer packaging to form a double moisture-proof barrier.

- For narro     w-width aluminium coils (width < 500 mm), it is recommended to bundle multiple coils together and package them as a single unit to reduce vibration and friction between individual coils.

II. Loading and Unloading Guidelines: Avoid Mechanical Damage

1. Lifting/Handling Requirements

- Specialised lifting equipment (e.g., lifting straps, core shaft lifting devices) must be used. It is strictly prohibited to directly bind aluminium coils with steel wire ropes (steel wire ropes are hard and may scratch the coating).

- Maintain the aluminium coils in a horizontal position during loading/unloading; tilting or vertical handling is prohibited (to prevent coil deformation and coating friction).

- When manually handling small-sized aluminium coils, two people must cooperate to support both ends of the core; avoid lifting by the edges with one hand (to prevent coating damage).

2. Stacking Restrictions

- The stacking height of aluminium coils should not exceed three layers (adjust according to coil weight; heavy coils < two layers). The bottom layer must be supported by wooden pallets or steel racks (to prevent moisture damage from the ground and distribute pressure evenly).

- When stacking, the coil cores must be aligned along the same axis to prevent tilting, which could cause upper layers to slip and compress the coating of lower layers.

III. Transportation Process: Environmental Control and Placement

1. Selection of Transportation Vehicles

- Prioritise enclosed trucks or containers (avoid open-air transportation to prevent rainwater and dust from directly contacting the coating).

- If using an open-top vehicle, the rolls must be covered with waterproof, UV-resistant tarpaulins (prolonged UV exposure may cause coating fading), and the tarpaulins must be securely fastened to prevent wind-induced friction on the coating.

2. Securing and Separating Inside the Vehicle

- Aluminium coils must be placed horizontally (with the coil core perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel) and secured to both sides of the cargo compartment using blocks or wedges to prevent sliding or collisions during braking or turning.

- Different specifications of aluminium coils must be separated by partitions (wooden or rubber boards) to prevent scratches caused by mutual friction; if transporting different coating types (e.g., fluorocarbon coating and polyester coating), they must be packaged separately to prevent potential cross-contamination of coating components.

3. Environmental control

- Avoid transporting under extreme temperatures (high temperatures may cause the coating to soften and stick together, while low temperatures may increase the coating's brittleness and make it prone to cracking). Ventilation and cooling are required in summer, and prolonged exposure to the elements should be avoided in winter.

- Keep away from acidic or alkaline substances and oil stains during transport (if transported with chemicals, strict isolation is required) to prevent the coating from being corroded.

IV. Other Precautions

1. Transportation Time and Route

- Minimise the transportation cycle to avoid prolonged exposure of aluminium coils to sealed packaging (especially in high-temperature environments, where condensation inside the packaging may damage the coating).

- Select routes with good road conditions to reduce vibrations and collisions that may cause aluminium coils to shake or collide.

2. Handover and Inspection

- Inspect the packaging for damage, water ingress, or deformation before unloading. Any abnormalities must be documented on-site and photographed for record-keeping.

- After unloading, it is recommended to inspect the surface of the aluminium coils (check for scratches, blisters, peeling of the coating, or deformation of the edges) as soon as possible. Any issues should be promptly communicated with the transport company or supplier.

Summary

The core principles of transporting colour-coated aluminium coils are: moisture-proof, scratch-proof, pressure-proof, and oxidation-proof. By standardising packaging, ensuring proper loading and unloading, and controlling the transport environment, damage to the coating and deformation of the aluminium coils can be minimised, ensuring stable product quality. For high-value colour-coated aluminium coils (such as pharmaceutical-grade or high-weatherability coatings), it is recommended to adopt customised transport solutions (such as temperature-controlled compartments and real-time GPS tracking) to further reduce risks.