Application
Aluminum for Packaging & Foil
Pinhole count, elongation and surface cleanliness are the three numbers that decide whether a foil runs on your line.
Specification
What Packaging & Foil Specifies
| Grades normally used | 1235 · 8011 · 8079 · 8021 · 3104 |
|---|---|
| Product forms | Foil · Strip · Coil |
| Standards & approvals | ASTM B479 · EN 546 · GB/T 3198 · Food contact declaration available |
Grade by grade
What Each Grade Does in Packaging & Foil
An application page that lists five grades without saying what each one is for is a catalogue, not a specification. These are the roles they actually play here.
| Grade | The job it does here | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1235 | Household and container foil; the standard rolling grade for thin gauges. | Specs → |
| 8011 | Pharma blister and closure stock, where the foil is laminated or lacquered. | Specs → |
| 8079 | High-barrier packaging, where pinhole count is the acceptance criterion. | On request |
| 8021 | Lamination and battery pouch stock, with tight pinhole and surface cleanliness limits. | On request |
| 3104 | Can body stock, where strength at low gauge is what decides the design. | On request |
Before you send the enquiry
Specification Mistakes That Cost Money Here
None of these is exotic. All of them arrive on real enquiries, and each one adds a round trip before a price can be issued.
1. Accepting "pinhole-free" as a specification. Pinholes are counted per square metre against a light transmission standard, and the number has to be agreed in writing.
2. Not stating which side is to be lacquered. Foil has a matte and a bright side, and print and adhesion behave differently on each.
3. Ordering by thickness alone. Foil is bought on nominal gauge plus tolerance plus temper, and the three together set runnability on your line.
4. Treating the food-contact declaration as implied. It is a separate document from the mill certificate and is not established by the alloy number.
Categories that serve it
What We Supply Into Packaging & Foil
Verification
What We Put in Writing for This Application
- Mill test certificate to the class your file requires — 2.2 or 3.1 — carrying the actual mechanical test values for the heat.
- Gauge and surface inspection recorded before packing; photos of the sealed container.
- Where the market requires it, the classification society or coating test report with the issuing body named.
Before you ask
Packaging & Foil — Questions That Come Up
How is pinhole count specified?
As a count per square metre against a light transmission test, at a stated gauge. Pinhole-free is not a usable specification because it cannot be measured — the number has to be agreed in writing.
Which foil is used for pharmaceutical blister?
8011 is the usual base, lacquered or laminated to the barrier the pack requires. In practice the lacquer system and the pinhole limit matter more than the alloy number.
Does foil need a food contact declaration?
Yes, and it is a separate document from the mill certificate. It is not implied by the alloy, so ask for it with the order rather than at shipment.