Case study: Aluminium drawn packaging printing

Aluminium is lightweight, rust and corrosion proof, impermeable (even when rolled very thin) and highly ductile enabling it to be pressed into complex shapes. These qualities make aluminium the material of choice for many deep drawn packaging solutions including Roll On Pilfer Proof (ROPP) security caps. UV cured inks are less flexible than thermally cured inks and have therefore not been suitable for the more demanding deep drawing applications.

In 2004 Tinmasters responded to the growing demand for thermal aluminium printing by adapting an entire 2 colour thermal line to run the lighter aluminium sheets. This involved redesigning and extending the wickets, investing in epic damping and numerous changes to operational practice. As a result of this upgrade we are able to offer customers a dedicated line for printing aluminium packaging, be it ROPP caps or Personal Care products.

As well as printing on aluminium using thermal inks we also have several UV print lines with aluminium printing capability. UV technology continuous to develop and in 2018, as part of our ongoing investment in innovation, we are partnering with AkzoNobel (the inks, paints and coatings experts) and UCP (leading retail packagers) on a research trial of enhanced UV inks to assess their suitability for deep drawn packaging applications. To those working with ROPP caps and other drawn products – watch this space!