Leadtech Printer-Leading Manufacturer in the Coding & Marking Industry since 2011.
High-Speed Can Coding Without Corroding the Coating
Metal Can & Metal Cap Coding & Marking
Substrates: Aluminum Cans · Coated Steel Cans · Food Cans · Metal Caps · Closures · Easy-Open Ends
√ Rechnology: Fiber Laser · Continuous Inkjet (CIJ)
√ Recommended LT Model: LT50F Fiber Laser · LT980 HRS (CIJ) · LT900 (CIJ)
√ The One Constraint: Coated steel cans must not be laser-marked — the laser ablates the coating, the bare steel is exposed, and the can corrodes. Use ink.
Metal cans and caps are core to food and beverage production. Aluminum can lines are among the highest-speed packaging applications, sustaining tens of thousands of units per hour. Coding is driven by date/batch compliance and beverage traceability. Every technology decision here is shaped by two physical realities: the condensation that forms the moment a chilled can leaves the filler, and the protective coating on steel cans that a laser will destroy.
| Substrate | Key Property | Coding Implication |
| Aluminum Can | Highest-speed lines (tens of thousands/hour) | CIJ universal; fiber laser gives permanent high-contrast marks |
| Steel Can (Coated) | Protective coating | Laser NOT recommended — coating damage → corrosion; ink preserves coating integrity |
| Metal Caps / Closures / Easy-Open Ends | Small marking area at high line speed | A high-precision challenge; a small-nozzle high-resolution printhead is required |
| Heat-treated Food Cans | Undergo heat sterilization | Thermochromic inks serve as process-completion indicators |
Coding Challenges
- A chilled can leaves the filler → a condensation film forms on the surface → dye ink beads and the code smears or fails to read. Use a penetrating ink, or laser, which moisture does not affect.
- A coated steel can → the laser ablates that coating → bare steel is exposed and corrodes. This is a hard constraint: ink-based coding only.
- Caps and easy-open ends offer a very small marking area at full line speed → placement error becomes the dominant defect. A small-nozzle, high-resolution printhead is required.
- Aluminum lines run tens of thousands of units per hour → any marking interruption → a large batch of uncoded product or a line stop. 24/7 reliability is required.
| Technology | Fit | Why / Why Not |
| Fiber Laser | ★ Recommended | Engraves durable, high-contrast permanent codes directly on bare/anodized metal; no ink, no consumable cost |
| Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) | ★ Recommended | The only option that preserves the steel coating; handles condensation with penetrating ink; universal across all metals |
| CO₂ Laser | ○ Alternative | Possible on coated metal; ink is still preferred where coating protection or variable data matters |
| Fiber Laser on Coated Steel | - Not recommended | Ablates the protective coating → corrosion risk. Ink only |
| PIJ / TTO | - Not recommended | Built for porous board and flexible film respectively, not high-speed rigid metal |
Split by metal type first. Bare/anodized aluminum cans and caps → fiber laser: permanent, consumable-free, and fast enough for the can line. Coated steel → ink only; a laser destroys the coating and invites corrosion. Where condensation is heavy or one machine must span metal types, CIJ is the safe baseline.
Typical Code Content
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Recommended LT Solution
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