How do they do it?
 

How does a soda can manufacturer print the logo and info on an aluminum can?
I thought maybe they were color anodized at first because they are so
durable, but after closer inspection and playing around, I think it is some
kind of super durable ink spray or silk screen process.

Acetone doesn't touch it and even a wire wheel takes a slow or deliberate
pass to remove it all.

Anyone know for sure?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013

Joe AutoDrill wrote:
How does a soda can manufacturer print the logo and info on an aluminum can?
I thought maybe they were color anodized at first because they are so
durable, but after closer inspection and playing around, I think it is some
kind of super durable ink spray or silk screen process.

Acetone doesn't touch it and even a wire wheel takes a slow or deliberate
pass to remove it all.

Anyone know for sure?

Back when I did a little sal****er sailing, I was
struck by the irony of SS rusting, but pop cans
staying intact for years in a marine environment.

I think there's some kind of acrylic coating over
top of the printing.

"Joe AutoDrill" wrote in
message ...
How does a soda can manufacturer print the logo and info on an aluminum
can? I thought maybe they were color anodized at first because they are so
durable, but after closer inspection and playing around, I think it is
some kind of super durable ink spray or silk screen process.

Acetone doesn't touch it and even a wire wheel takes a slow or deliberate
pass to remove it all.

Anyone know for sure?

Ink-jet printing. They use a special ink that is cured with UV.

Leon

Well, if you just want to remove it, 1000°F does the trick. ;)

Even then, it leaves some shmutz stuck to the metal in the pattern of the
printing though!

I thought this was a great idea - so I tried it.

Round one - Forgot to remove the soda first. Exploded in my oven. Made one
heck of a mess. Clean up costs $15

Round two - Removed the soda and tried again. Melted the can onto the
bottom of my oven. Made one heck of a mess. Clean up cost $300

Round three - I decided to write a humorous post about how I tried something
I didn't really do based on some advice that I presume was meant in jest
because of the malicious simley face. grin

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013

Joe AutoDrill wrote:

How does a soda can manufacturer print the logo and info on an aluminum can?
I thought maybe they were color anodized at first because they are so
durable, but after closer inspection and playing around, I think it is some
kind of super durable ink spray or silk screen process.

Acetone doesn't touch it and even a wire wheel takes a slow or deliberate
pass to remove it all.

Anyone know for sure?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013



Silk-screening, then a coat of what they called 'varnish'. Saw it on
'How It's Made'. The inside of the can is coated with the same stuff to
prevent soda from eating through the paper-thin aluminum. Must be some
tough stuff.

Jason

"Joe AutoDrill" wrote in
message ...
How does a soda can manufacturer print the logo and info on an aluminum
can? I thought maybe they were color anodized at first because they are so
durable, but after closer inspection and playing around, I think it is
some kind of super durable ink spray or silk screen process.

Acetone doesn't touch it and even a wire wheel takes a slow or deliberate
pass to remove it all.

Anyone know for sure?

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com



Here is an interesting article on soda cans and about technology to print on
them.
http://www.memagazine.org/backissues...ndo/cando.html
Can you believe they can print cans at the rate of 2,400 cans a minute?

This article leads me to believe that the varnish they put over the outside
printing is different from what is sprayed on the inside to coat the can.
http://www.aluminum.org/Content/Navi...luminumCan.htm
or in TinyURL format: http://tinyurl.com/3zpro

Lane

Here is an interesting article on soda cans and about technology to print
on them.
http://www.memagazine.org/backissues...ndo/cando.html
Can you believe they can print cans at the rate of 2,400 cans a minute?

This article leads me to believe that the varnish they put over the
outside printing is different from what is sprayed on the inside to coat
the can.
http://www.aluminum.org/Content/Navi...luminumCan.htm
or in TinyURL format: http://tinyurl.com/3zpro

Lane


Thanks! Great stuff.
--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013