Steel Developments for the Packaging Industry论文.pdfVIP

Steel Developments for the Packaging Industry ·1 · Steel Developments for the Packaging Industry Jones David (PACS Consulting, UK, Formerly of Corus Packaging Plus British Steel Tinplate) Abstract The steel and metallurgical developments to support lightweighting, performance improvements and improved line efficiencies for the can-making and packaging industries in general are discussed. The paper concentrates on cans produced by the drawn wall and ironing (DWI) process for both beer and beverage, and food applications. It also covers the metallurgical developments to support the growth of steel easy-open ends for the food can market. The steel chemistries and processing routes for these applications are compared demonstrating the versatility of steel in meeting the different performance requirements. In both cases, the improvements and resulting gauge reductions have been achieved by close co-operation between the steel suppliers, the equipment and tooling suppliers and the can-makers. Specialist techniques like Finite Element Analysis (FEA) have been used to speed up the development process. The benefits of this approach are demonstrated by improved performance despite the reductions in steel thickness. Quality control procedures to achieve high can-making line efficiencies are reviewed. Other developments are discussed which include the growth of pre-coated polymer coated steels and their application for the manufacture of aerosol containers and components. Future trends are proposed which would see a move away from just weight and cost reduction towards greater differentiation