ALUMINIUM SLUGS MANUFACTURING

[EIRI/EDPR/3840] J.C.: 1949

INTRODUCTION

A collapsible tube is a pliable metal cylinder which can be sealed so as to

discharge its content in a desired quality and finger pressures and yet protect the
remaining contents from contact with atmospheric air, moisture or light/heat etc.
during the entire period of its use. Collapsible tubes are handy flexible packages
for pastes & semi-liquids.

The preferred material for the manufacture of collapsible tubes is: Aluminium, tin,
tin coated lead or lead-tin alloys. The collapsible tubes of the above metals are
made by cold extrusion techniques. A complete collapsible tube consists of the
following parts:

a) The main metallic tube,

b) A shoulder to one end of which a screened nozzle with orifice is fitted, and

c) A cap to close the orifice when not in use normally the collapsible tubes are
used for fitting tooth paste, shaving creams, ointments, inks etc.

Aluminium collapsible tubes, covered under IS: 3107-1979 (First revision), are
suitable for a wide range of liquids, semi-liquids, pastes & formulations containing
soluble constitutents. All collapsible aluminium tubes with short screwed nozzle
are well specified in this standard. The aluminium collapsible tubes with other
types of nozzles designs eg. Eye ointment tube, are covered under IS:7852-1975.

Aluminium collapsible tubes are manufactured from Aluminium grade 19500 as

per IS:737-1974. The wrought aluminium & alloys for general engineering
purposes belong to this specification. The collapsibility & permeability w.e.f.
moisture and easy workability are the main characteristics of the aluminium slugs
used for manufacturing collapsible tubes.

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Aluminium of 99.70% purity is cast, rolled to predetermined thickness & blanked
to provide cylindrical shapes of a defined diameter. These metal pieces are
generally referred to in the industry as slugs. Slugs are heat treated to bring them
to desired metallurgical state for fabricating into a collapsible tube. Mechanical
fabrication an aluminium tube is accomplished in five stages of production,
carried out automatically on a mass-production flow line.

The lubricated slugs are converted into tube shapes, by a process of impact
extrusion in a specially designed press, with a shoulder & nozzle. The tubes are
transferred, next, to an automatic machining lathe for trimming to correct lengths
& thread rolling on the nozzle portion.

The severe impact-extrusion forces, involved in the transformation of slug to tube,

cause a work-hardening in the tube. To provide flexibility or collapsibility, in the
containers, they are annealed at temperature slightly below the melting point of
the metal.

This high temperature treatment provides to the tubes, on one hand, the desired
collapsibility by removing the stresses of work-hardening, and on the other hand
removes traces of pre-applied lubricants and also sterilizes the tube. Further, the
tubes are surface finished, printed and filled with right quantity of contants with
cover caps of thermoplastics or thermo setting materials. Production of aluminium
slugs for collapsible tubes containers, is therefore, the very first step which
provides essential raw material for collapsible tube mfg. industry.

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 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
ALUMINIUM CASTING
WROUGHT ALLOYS
FORMABILITY
USES AND APPLICATION OF ALUMINIUM SLUG
ALUMINIUM SLUGS FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES
MARKET OVERVIEW OF ALUMINIUM SLUG
PRESENT MANUFACTURE OF ALUMINIUM SLUGS
GLOBAL MANUFACTURES OF ALUMINIUM SLUG
1. RONDAL (IMPOL):
2. RHEINFELDEN:
RHEINFELDEN SUPPLIES SLUGS OVER THE WORLD FOR
THE PRODUCTION OF:
3. TALUM:
4. ALUMAN S.A.
5. BALL CORPORATION:
SLUG PRODUCTION PLANT
ALUMINIUM SLUGS CHARACTERISTICS & MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES
THE APPLICATION AREA OF ALUMINUM SLUGS
HIGH QUALITY FEEDSTOCK
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SLUGS
SIZES OF SLUGS
THE DEGREE OF PROCESSING OF FINISHED SLUG
MINIMUM TEST BATCH OF SLUGS FROM 2 TONS.
SLUGS PACKAGING
THE STAGES OF PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING OF ALUMINUM SLUGS
PREPARATION OF METAL IN A MIXER
CASTING PREFORM FABRICATION
ALUMINUM ROLL DELIVERY TO STORAGE WAREHOUSE
SLUGS CUTTING PROCESS
SLUG ANNEALING
SLUG TUMBLING AND MECHANICAL PROCESSING
SLUGS PACKAGING
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
CASTING
ALUMINIUM FLAT ROLLING
SHEARING
METAL SHEET PRESS
ANNEALING

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TESTING & QUALITY CONTROL
CLEANING & PACKAGING
PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM
PROCESSING DETAILS OF ALUMINUM SLUG
THE PRODUCING PROCESS OF ALUMINUM SLUGS
THE WHOLE PROCESS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 5 STEPS.
SMELTING
HOT/COLD ROLLING
STAMPING
ANNEALING (THERMAL TREATMENT)
SURFACE FINISH
SELECTION AND PACKING
ALUMINIUM AEROSOL CAN BY IMPACT EXTRUDING
AEROSOL CAN MANUFACTURING WITH IMPACT EXTRUSION
PRINCIPLES OF PLANT LAYOUT
PLANT LOCATION FACTORS
PRIMARY FACTORS
1. RAW-MATERIAL SUPPLY:
2. MARKETS:
3. POWER AND FUEL SUPPLY:
4. WATER SUPPLY:
5. CLIMATE:
6. TRANSPORTATION:
7. WASTE DISPOSAL:
8. LABOR:
9. REGULATORY LAWS:
10. TAXES:
11. SITE CHARACTERISTICS:
12. COMMUNITY FACTORS:
13. VULNERABILITY TO WARTIME ATTACK:
14. FLOOD AND FIRE CONTROL:
EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE PROJECT REPORT
1. DEPRECIATION:
2. FIXED ASSETS:
3. WORKING CAPITAL:
4. BREAK-EVEN POINT:
5. OTHER FIXED EXPENSES:
6. MARGIN MONEY:
7. TERM LOANS:
8. TOTAL LOAD:
9. LAND AREA/MAN POWER RATIO:
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULES
INTRODUCTION
PROJECT HANDLING

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PROJECT SCHEDULING
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
TIME SCHEDULE
PLANT LAYOUT
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY
SUPPLIERS OF FURNACE
SUPPLIERS OF ROLLING MILL MACHINERY
SUPPLIERS OF HYDRAULIC PRESS
SUPPLIERS OF DRILLING MACHINE
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY (GLOBAL)
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS
SUPPLIERS OF ALUMINIUM INGOT

APPENDIX – A:
01. PLANT ECONOMICS
02. LAND & BUILDING
03. PLANT AND MACHINERY
04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS
05. FIXED CAPITAL
06. RAW MATERIAL
07. SALARY AND WAGES
08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS
09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL
10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT
11. COST OF PRODUCTION
12. TURN OVER/ANNUM
13. BREAK EVEN POINT
14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE
15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS
16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS
17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS
18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)

COST ESTIMATION

Plant Capacity 2 Ton/Day

Land & Building (20,000 sq.ft.) Rs. 1.92 Cr
Plant & Machinery Rs. 1.30 Cr
Working Capital for 2 Months Rs. 1.55 Cr
Total Capital Investment Rs. 4.95 Cr
Rate of Return 32%
Break Even Point 55%

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