Development History of Malleable Iron

During the First World War, the core issue of concern for wartime rations was whether they could reduce the losses caused by long-term transportation and storage. Glass packaging was not ideal due to the high transparency of glass causing food to deteriorate under light exposure. Lightweight and easy-to-process aluminum cans were also a good option, but their softness made them prone to deformation during transportation (the neurotoxicity of aluminum was not yet discovered at the time). And using pure iron cans for transportation would significantly increase transportation costs due to iron's rusting in humid air. Therefore, tin-plated steel, also known as tinplate, became the best choice for making canned food due to its surface coating of tin, which prevents rusting and adds an attractive appearance, while still maintaining the formability of steel, high strength, and good ductility.

Tinplate was widely used after World War I, but it was not a new invention for humans. In fact, as early as the 14th century, Bohemia located in central Europe had already begun to produce and use tinplate. People found that this tin-plated steel not only retained the formability of steel but also had the advantages of corrosion resistance, high strength, and good ductility due to tin's corrosion resistance and attractive appearance. The Chinese name for tinplate, "Ma Koutie," comes from the fact that the tin-plated sheet used to make canned food was imported from Macao at the time. As technology has advanced, modern iterations of tinplate are often equipped with the drum cap seal to ensure the safety and reliability of the contents inside.

Under current standards, tinplate (electroplated tinplate) is widely used in testing coating performance, such as bending, impact, hardness, gloss, salt spray resistance, weather resistance, etc., and the coating performance is an important indicator of coating product quality. When testing coating products, in addition to the test procedure and sample quality requirements, the quality of the tinplate used in the test is also an important factor that affects the test results. Reliable drum cap seal manufacturers recognize the importance of high-quality tinplate for their products and prioritize the use of premium materials in testing evaluations to help ensure accurate and reliable results.

Firstly, if the tin coating on the tinplate is not up to standard (too large or too small), it will affect the corrosion resistance of the tinplate and the adhesion of the coating to the steel plate. Secondly, during coating performance testing such as impact and bending tests, the thickness of the tinplate can directly affect its physical properties. Lastly, if the surface treatment of tinplate does not meet the standard and the surface is not smooth, it will not only directly affect hardness and gloss testing but also pose a safety hazard to testing personnel due to sharp edges. Therefore, purchasing tinplate that meets national standards is an important aspect for us, the coating professionals, to pay attention to during the testing process.