Tin Plates

The most important coated product are tin plates which are mostly used for the production of cans. Tin Plates consist to about 99 percent of steel.

The main coating method is Electroplating. A tin electrode is used as anode inside an electrolyte bath which contains hydroxostannate (a tin compound) and the metal serves as cathode. During the process the metal is slowly unrolled and passed through the chemical solution while an electrical current dissolves the tin anode. The dissolved tin collects on the cathode which is the metal. Using Electroplating one kilogram of tin suffices for 50 square meters of steel.

To produce thin tin plates the metal is cold-rolled a second time before it is coated with tin. The second rolling makes the steel very thin and hard. Cans made from thin sheets are equally stable as normal cans; however they contain less steel which saves weight and cost.

Light packages can also be produced from electroplated steel foil. Other methods of steel processing are forging or casting.