Research and Development > Technical Report > No.9 Special Issue on "Analytical Sciences and Microstructural Characterization″ and "Steel Sheet for Can-making″ > Foreword

No.9 Special Issue on "Analytical Sciences and Microstructural Characterization″ and "Steel Sheet for Can-making″

Foreword

Steel products for cans refers to a class of sheet steel products with sheet thicknesses of 0.50 mm or less which have excellent corrosion resistance, formability, and weldability and are widely used in beverage cans, food cans, 18 l cans, pail cans, and other applications. Since cans were invented approximately 200 years ago, they have won confidence in their function of preserving foods over the course of many years. Today, however, enhanced product appeal, stable quality, and reduction of environmental risk are also demanded in cans, heightening the role of steel products for cans. In order to increase appeal, cans with diverse shapes created by stretch forming or diameter-reduction forming of part to the can body have been commercialized. In order to make this kind of forming possible, steel sheets with high ductility and cleanliness are required.
   Because stable product quality is the most important element for earning the confidence of customers, JFE Steel has actively introduced inspection equipment which makes it possible to evaluate the internal quality and surface quality of steel products for cans and enables marking and rejection. As part of our commitment to the environment, from the viewpoint of products, we have developed a diverse range of products aiming at expansion of the applications of steel sheets laminated with thermoplastic resin films. As one advantage of these products, the can painting process can be omitted, thereby eliminating releases of organic solvents into the atmosphere. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of manufacturing processes, in tinplate production, we have switched over to methane sulfonic acid plating bath (MSA bath) which generates little sludge and is easy to recycle.
   JFE Steel's can product business is not limited to the sale of “Only One” and “Number One” products such as tinplate, tin free steel (TFS), and laminated steel sheets. Tin mill black plate (TMBP), which is used as a substrate for tinplated products, also accounts for a large share of the company's sales. In Asia, there are many areas which produce fish and fruits and processing bases for these products, and local joint ventures in these areas manufacture tinplate and TFS for canmakers adjacent to these companies using JFE Steel's high quality substrate materials. At JFE Steel, production of steel products for cans, including these substrate materials, exceeds 1 million tons a year.
   This special issue introduces JFE Steel's outstanding products and technologies in the field of steel products for cans. In the future, we will continue to promote technical innovation in order to respond to the needs of our customers, and we request your guidance and encouragement in these efforts.

PDF