What is Metal Packing Can Containers?
Metal packaging can containers are thin-walled packaging containers made from metal sheets. They are widely used in food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, daily necessities packaging, instrument packaging, industrial goods packaging, military packaging, and more. Among these, food packaging accounts for the largest share.
Introduction
Due to the material properties of metal, metal packaging offers better compressive strength compared to other types of packaging, making it convenient for transportation and resistant to damage. Among metal packaging containers, tinplate containers are popular because of their strong oxidation resistance, diverse designs, and high-quality printing.
Main Categories
Metal Drums
Large capacity containers made from metal sheets, such as steel drums and steel handle drums.
- Capacity: 35L, 45L, 50L, 63L, 80L, 100L, 200L, 208L
- Specifications: Small opening drums, medium opening drums, handle drums, irregular top drums, full-opening conical steel drums, full-opening drums, straight-opening drums, necked steel drums, etc.
- Materials: Hot-rolled thin steel sheets, cold-rolled thin steel sheets, cold-rolled galvanized steel sheets, aluminum sheets
Metal Cans
Smaller containers made from metal sheets (available in sealed and unsealed types).
- Representative Products: Two-piece cans, round cans, aluminum beverage cans, steel beverage cans in round, oval, square, and other shapes.
- Materials: Aluminum alloy thin sheets, tinplate sheet
Irregular Cans
Cans used for beverages, food, canned goods, gifts, artwork, chemicals, and other miscellaneous items.
- Materials: Tinplate, chrome-plated thin steel sheets
Metal Aerosol Cans
Containers composed of airtight metal shells and valves that can withstand internal pressure.
- Representative Products: Aluminum aerosol cans, tinplate aerosol cans (three-piece cans), straight cans, necked cans, etc.
Metal Closures
Devices added to containers to keep the contents inside and prevent contamination.
- Representative Products: Closure devices for drums (spiral type, compression type, top-press type, clamping type).
- Materials: Cold-rolled thin steel sheets, tinplate, chrome-plated thin steel sheets, aluminum alloy thin sheets
Development Trends
The widespread use of metal packaging containers can be attributed to their many unique advantages:
- Good Mechanical Properties: Compared to other packaging materials like plastic, glass, or paper, metal containers have greater strength and rigidity, making them less prone to breaking. They are not only suitable for small sales packaging but are also the primary containers for large-scale transportation.
- Excellent Barrier Properties: Metal sheets provide superior barrier properties compared to any other material, with excellent gas resistance, moisture-proofing, light-blocking, and fragrance retention. Coupled with reliable sealing, metal containers protect products effectively.
- Ease of Automation: Metal container production has a long history and mature processes, supported by a full set of production equipment. This ensures high production efficiency and meets various product packaging needs.
- Exquisite Decoration: Metal materials have excellent printing capabilities; designs and logos are vivid and attractive, making metal containers ideal for sales packaging.
- Variety of Shapes: Metal containers can be made in various shapes, such as round, oval, square, horseshoe, and trapezoidal, meeting different packaging needs and enhancing the appeal of the packaging, which helps to boost sales.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Excellent Barrier Properties: Metal packaging containers can block gases like air, oxygen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide, as well as light, especially ultraviolet light. This prevents the contents from deteriorating, spoiling, fading, or losing fragrance.
- Excellent Mechanical Properties: Due to their high rigidity and ease of handling, metal containers can withstand impacts, vibrations, and stacking, making them suitable for transportation and storage, thereby expanding the sales reach of products.
- Good Thermal Conductivity: Metal cans are highly efficient for heating and cooling food, improving sterilization and quick cooling. They also allow for the possibility of in-can cooking.
- Good Processing Adaptability: The excellent ductility of metal allows for high-precision and high-speed production of complex shapes. For instance, a tinplate three-piece can production line can produce up to 3600 cans per minute, allowing metal containers to be produced at lower costs to meet consumer demand.
- Convenient Use: Metal packaging containers are not easily damaged and are easy to carry. Many beverage and food cans are equipped with easy-open lids, adding to their convenience and meeting the fast-paced lifestyle of modern consumers, including in tourism.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Metal containers typically have a beautiful metallic sheen and are often decorated with vibrant and colorful designs, enhancing the visual appeal of products. This is why metal containers are often the preferred choice for gift packaging.
- Hygienic and Safe: The use of appropriate coatings ensures that metal containers meet the sanitary and safety standards required for food containers.
- Easy to Dispose and Recycle: Metal containers can be recycled after use, saving energy and reducing environmental pollution. Even when rusted, they do not pose a significant environmental hazard.
- Excellent Shielding Performance: For high-tech electronic device packaging, metal containers offer electromagnetic shielding, which protects sensitive electrical components from static discharges and failure.
- Magnetic Properties: Steel containers have magnetic properties, which can be used for handling or transportation with magnetic equipment.
Disadvantages
- Poor Chemical Stability: Metal is prone to rusting when exposed to acids, alkalis, salts, and humid air. This limits its use in certain applications. However, the use of high-quality coatings can mitigate this issue.
- Economic Disadvantages: Metal containers tend to be more expensive than other packaging materials. However, technological advancements are gradually addressing this drawback.
Due to their unique advantages and ongoing technological improvements, metal packaging containers are becoming an essential choice for packaging across various industries.
