All metal beverage cans are made of either aluminum alloy or tin-plated steel.
Modern cans are produced through a high-speed mechanical cold forming process, that starts with punching a flat blank from a coil of aluminum.
The flat blank is first formed into a cup through a cupping press. This cup is then pushed through a different forming process called “ironing” which forms the can in the bodymaker. The bottom of the can (Dome) is also shaped at this time. The malleable metal deforms into the shape of an open-top can and is then trimmed.
With the sophisticated technology of the bodymaker, the side wall of the can is significantly thinner than either the top and bottom areas, where stiffness is required.
At MST Chemicals we offer a complete range of Chemicals and Tailor-Made solutions to ensure the customers ever changing demands are met. With our Total ‘Front-end’ Chemical Management System we ensure full upstream compatibility with a brighter can and the lowest possible COD, combined with our state-of-the-art Chemical Controller Aluguard 7000, consumption is optimized to ensure the lowest possible cost per 000 cans is achieved.
Modern washer technologies tend to reduce the consumption of rinse water to a minimum. In the past, water consumption was around 60m3 / 1MioCans Today where plants are looking to reduce water consumption, usage has moved closer 40m3 / 1MioCans and they are already preparing for washers capable of using as little as 20m3 / 1MioCans. (20 ltrs/000 cans)
Since the carry-over of washer is always the same, it follows that the concentration of the various pollutants: Al, SO4, F and COD has doubled today and will tripled in the near future.
This creates new problems for water purification which must be more efficient than ever before, while the discharge limits remain the same or are even tightening restrictions.
The only solution to the above concern is to utilize the synergies between plant design for WWT (Old and New) and suitable Chemical Specialties so that Washer Treatment Chemicals, Lubricants and contaminates work together with purification.
The CIE & MST Chemicals group is perfectly structured to offer Canmakers:
- Redesign of treatment products
- Low COD Coolant
- Cleaner with surfactants that are highly biodegradable
- Chemical-physical separation of oils and surfactants in purification
- Plants equipped for Sulphates and Fluorides reduction technologies.
- Specific COD, SO4 and Fluorides abatement products.
- Technical assistance in the field for fine-tuning
- Studies on water recycling
- Improvement of Zero Liquid Discharge processes and reduction of installation costs.
- ZLD processes with chemical-physical technologies with low energy cost.
With over 30 years of proven technology and experience, MST offer a bespoke design capability whether it is a Neat Cupping Oil or a Body Maker Coolant you require. With combined use, customers experience brighter cans, reduced washer chemical consumption and reduced COD through careful selection of compatible surfactants.
Cleaning and treatment of can remain relativity unchanged for decades, innovations have come and gone and the majority of Canmakers rely on traditional methods for cleaning, etching and treatment of cans. Consumption is controlled through understanding the chemistry of the various stages and what reactions are taking place to provide a perfectly clean can with uniform etch rates and passivation. Water consumption is controlled through designed counterflow and optimized to maintain control parameters.
At MST we provide a range of Cleaners, Accelerant’s and Treatments that ensure the washer performs to its best capability providing bright, clean and treated cans.
With line speeds increasing and decorators running faster and harder than ever before cans need to slip and slide onto mandrels and trough single filers effortlessly. Our (Puro-slip) Mobility Enhancer with its strong anti-friction properties ensure higher lane speeds and improved mandrel loading.
The most common method for removing high concentrations of sulfate from water is through addition of hydrated lime (Ca(OH)2). However, when you start with greater than 1500 ppm, it is not possible to achieve less than 500 ppm (for water to dump in river or lakes).
Only special technology, such as PUR-ALL (developed by MST Chemicals), overcome this problem and is able to provide dramatic removal capacity to less than 150 ppm or, with special technologies, also lower.
Fluorine is one of the most difficult Anion to be removed or reduce to limits of less than 6 ppm, as required by most of legislations. Only special technology and chemicals, such PUR-ALL (developed by MST Chemicals) overcomes this problem and achieves levels less than 4 ppm or, with special technologies, less than 2 ppm.
In Metal finishing lines COD is coming from Oils, fats used for metal working or lamination. In addition COD is coming from Surfactants in Alkaline or Acidic Cleaners used before final coating.
The most common chemical product to remove COD are Charcoals, but specific blends must be developed for any local situation.
MST Chemicals have a great number of specific COD removal products such as PuroSorb able to reduce COD levels to under 100 ppm, as required for ZLD plants.
