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Definition of Metal Packing
Metal packaging containers are metal utensils for storage, transportation, or sales and use, and are an important type of commodity packaging. The main varieties of metal packaging containers include tinplate products (tin coating, boxes), three-piece sealed cans, cans (aluminum), two-piece cans, tinplate two-piece cans, tinplate three-piece cans), buckets, square barrels, steel drums, aluminum cans, aerosol cans, metal boxes, metal foil aluminum bags and metal container accessories, including bottle caps, can lids, closures, etc., which are widely used in the packaging of food, beverages, canned goods, oils and fats, chemical raw materials, medicines, cosmetics, cultural supplies, etc.
Names of metal packaging containers
1. Metal cans are containers
with a smaller capacity made of metal sheets. They are available in sealed and unsealed types. They are generally made of tinplated steel sheets, chrome-plated steel sheets, and aluminum sheets. The volume is generally less than or equal to 16L, the maximum nominal thickness is 0.49mm, and the cross-section has a variety of shapes, such as round, oval, oblate, square, etc. They are mainly used for packaging food, beverages, tea, cosmetics, cultural supplies, and medicines.
2. Metal aerosol cans
are metal containers composed of an airtight metal shell and valve that can withstand a certain internal pressure. There are generally two types of aerosol containers, multiple-use and single-use. The product sprayed from the aerosol container can take the form of mist, foam, paste, etc. It is mainly used for packaging food, medicine, and cosmetics.
3. Metal drums
are metal containers with a larger capacity made of metal. The cross-section is mostly cylindrical, but there are also square and oval shapes. It is mainly used for packaging of commodities such as grease, fuel, calcium carbide, antifreeze, and paint.
4. Metal box (metal box/case/chest)
It is a packaging container made of metal with a certain rigidity. It is usually a rectangular parallelepiped and belongs to a box-shaped container with a large volume. It often has a buckle cover or a hinged cover. It is mainly used for military product packaging and transportation packaging of some special commodities.
5. Metal carton (metal box)
It is a packaging container made of metal with a certain rigidity and has various shapes. It is generally relatively low in height. The cross-section can be square, round, oval, heart-shaped, etc. It usually has a box cover. It is mostly used for packaging children’s food, cultural supplies, and cosmetics.
6. Metal hose (metal collapsible tube)
It is a cylindrical metal container made of flexible metal material. One end of the hose is folded and sealed by pressure or welding, and the other end forms a tube shoulder and a tube nozzle. When the tube wall is squeezed, the contents are squeezed out of the tube nozzle. It is mainly used for packaging paste products such as toothpaste, colorants, and medicines.
7. Aluminum foil for Packaging Bag
A bag-shaped container made of aluminum foil. It can be used as a packaging lining or as a separate packaging item. For example, it can be used for tea packaging to prevent moisture, mildew, freshness, and flavor.
8. Metal basket
A porous packaging container made of metal wire, usually cylindrical (also known as a metal basket) or rectangular.
9. Metal tray
A shallow packaging container without a lid made of metal material.
10. Metal Closure
A set of closing devices added to a container, the purpose of which is to keep the contents in the container and prevent contamination of the contents.
Examples of names of various structural parts of metal packaging
Names of various structural parts of metal cans
- Can cover. The top structure of a metal can, usually referring to a metal can that is sealed after filling.
- Can body. A component of a metal can. The body of a three-piece can refers to its side walls, while the body of a two-piece can consists of the bottom and side walls.
- Can body (can without lid). A three-piece can without a lid.
- Can opening key. An accessory for rolling open a can, used to pass through a small tongue-shaped piece to roll the can open.
- Score. A tear line that is pre-pressed or scored on the easy-open lid or the body of a roll-open can to facilitate opening.
- Ring. A component that is fixed to the upper part of the can body through double crimping, with an opening in the center for installing the can cover.
- Expansion ring. The convex and concave pull ring formed by stamping on the can lid or can bottom to meet the needs of the expansion of the contents during can sterilization.
- Ring tab. A ring-shaped accessory pre-attached to the lid for easy opening.
- Rivet. A convex bubble pre-punched to attach the pull ring to the easy open lid.
Names of various structural parts of metal drums
- Top of drum. The top component of a metal drum. Typically, a closed-end drum features a filling hole and a vent hole on its top.
- Chimb. The part that is higher than the top or bottom of the drum, usually formed by a rolled edge.
- Filling hole. A hole set on the top of the drum for pouring or discharging the contents.
- Air-vent. A hole set on the top of the drum for ventilation when pouring or discharging the contents.
- Chimb reinforcement. A metal reinforcement ring installed on the chimb of a metal drum to protect the rolled edge.
- Rolling hoop. A guard ring attached to the drum body. When the drum rolls, the rolling hoop touches the ground and does not damage the drum body.
- Reinforcement. A convex or concave part formed on a metal container to increase rigidity. There are two types: ring reinforcement and non-ring reinforcement.
- Handle. An accessory attached to a metal container for gripping or carrying.
- Bale handle. A semicircular wire handle connected to the barrel by lugs at both ends.
- Drop handle. A small ring handle fixed to the barrel by lugs and can rotate freely.
- Lug. A metal connecting member fixed to the barrel that allows the handle to rotate like a hinge.
Structural names of various parts of metal hoses
- Nozzle. The outlet of the hose. Squeezing the tube wall causes the contents to be expelled through the nozzle.
- Shoulder. The sloped section between the nozzle and the tube wall.
- Tube wall. The flexible cylindrical part of the hose.
- Tube cover. A threaded closure or friction closure for the nozzle.
Classification of Metal Packaging
Metal packaging containers are of many types , and there are roughly the following classification methods.
1. Classification by container shape
Classified by the cross-sectional shape of the container, according to relevant international and domestic standards, the following container series can be formed (Figure 1-1): round cans, square cans, oval cans, oblate cans, trapezoidal cans, horseshoe cans, etc.
2. Classification by external geometric features of containers
Based on the external geometric features of containers, they can be divided into cylindrical tanks, frustum (cone) tanks, prismatic tanks, frustum (cone) tanks, etc., as shown in Figure 1-2.
3. Classification by container structure characteristics
Based on the container structure characteristics, it is mainly divided into three-piece cans, two-piece cans, spray cans and metal hoses. Three-piece cans are made of three pieces of metal materials: can body, can bottom and can cover. Steel drums, square barrels or special-shaped barrels with larger volumes are actually three-piece can containers. When the can body and the can bottom are processed into one piece by stamping, it is a two-piece can, while spray cans are made by adding a set of spray devices on the basis of the above two container can bodies. The spray can body can sometimes be made of a single piece of material by stamping, also known as a single-piece can.
4. Classification by container material
The material used to make the container determines the type of container. For example, tinplate cans, tinplate barrels, black tinplate cans, aluminum cans, stainless steel barrels, coated iron cans, iron-plastic composite barrels, and paper-iron composite cans.
5. Classification by container function
Containers can be divided into sealed containers and non-sealed containers according to their functions. Sealed containers are mainly used for packaging of food and beverages. Sealed cans often need to be heated and sterilized, requiring the container to have sufficient strength and rigidity. Non-sealed containers are often used for packaging of daily necessities or cosmetics. Their artistic shape and packaging design are the most important, and the sealing problem is secondary.
6. Classification by container opening method
Containers can be divided into three categories according to their opening method: open type, middle-mouth type, and closed-mouth type. The open type means that the top cover can be fully opened, the closed type is partially sealed, leaving only a small-diameter outlet, and the middle-mouth type has a larger outlet diameter than the small-mouth type.
