4. Steels for packaging (APE)

Thin (0.10 to 0.50 mm), they are used for long-term packaging (cans, beverage cans), where they mainly compete with aluminum. They are obtained by electroplating tin onto steel (EN 10202 standard), which makes them easy to weld, or sometimes chromium (same standard). The latter cannot be soldered (reserved for lids, crimped bottoms and certain deep-drawn parts), but offer better varnish adhesion and are more economical.

Their classification, in terms of manufacturing, includes two main categories:

• base-annealed irons, with the TS prefix, whose guaranteed characteristics are shown in the table 26 ;

• Continuously annealed irons, with the prefix...