YR丨Printing System of Aluminum Cans

Recently I got several enquiries have encountered similar questions.

Customer: I want an aluminum can printing machine, please quote.

I asked: Do you want to replace the old printing machine?

Customer: No, I just want to print on aluminum cans, I have orders.

Can you feel that the customer is completely new in the field? The question they asked is ridiculous. Why?

If you know a little about the production of aluminum (monobloc) cans, you will know that the formation of an aluminum can requires multiple steps, a slug, with extrusion press, trimming,  washing, internal coating, base-color printing, printing, varnishing then necking, at this time, we can see the appearance of an aluminum can that we usually see.

1. Usually we use offset printing when print cans, but it is not just a single meaning of printing. It contains three steps of base-color printing, printing and varnishing, also need 3 ovens because  ink need to be dried each time, 6 machines together constitute the entire printing section, and each machine is indispensable, without any one, it will not produce the ideal printing effect. Therefore, in general, no one will buy only one single printing machine.

2. Q: If I want replace an old machine, can I purchase a single printing machine?

The answer is not clear.

A: If you’re using our printing machine, the answer is yes. Just tell us the model of the machine and you can purchase a brand new single one to replace.

If you’re using a used machine or a machine of another brand, there is a certain risk in purchasing other brands. As mentioned above, the base-color printing, printing machine, and varnishing machine constitute the entire printing system. Usually, the printing system uses one main motor as the power, and the rest of the base-color printing and the varnishing machine are powered by the cardan shaft to keep the speed consistency. If these three machines are different brands, use different motors, the speed is difficult to achieve 100% consistency. Because the drive and speed ratio of the machine itself must not be exactly the same. Therefore, if it is not our old customers, we still not recommended to buy only one single printing machine.

3. Every step of producing an aluminum can is actually irreversible. It is impossible to put the trimming machine after the printing machine, impossible to put the printing machine after necking machine, especially the printing system, base-color printing, printing, varnishing. The special request to print aluminum cans is ridiculous.

1) The aluminum can production line must already contain the printing section. It is not required to print when it is produced, then print after the production, it’s wasting!

2) Aluminum can have many shapes, which can be achieved by different necking molds. I don't think there is any advanced printing equipment that can print on so many complicated shapes. Therefore, before necking, when the shape is only a cylinder, it is necessary to handle all the steps of base-color printing, printing and varnish.

3) Of course, there is also a situation where the number of certain printing cans is very small, aluminum can factories are not willing to make a plate change. It can only produce solid color cans (base color) then print. At this time, only screen printing or thermal transfer can be used with many disadvantages , printing range is small (the shoulder and neck deformation can not be printed), printing effect is too simple... This situation is few, only theoretical assumptions, and we have never meet in actual production.