Steel Sheet for Cans with Controlled Non-Recrystallized Ferrite

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing steel sheets for cans lack a balance of high strength, ductility, and formability, particularly for can bodies with neck portions, leading to issues like dents and poor commercial value.

Innovation Solution

A steel sheet with a specific chemical composition and microstructure, including a proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite of 3% or less, and a method involving hot rolling, cold rolling, annealing, and temper rolling processes to achieve an upper yield stress of 550 MPa or more and 620 MPa or less.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If the thickness of steel sheets is reduced to reduce material costs, then material cost is reduced, but the strength of can bodies and can lids decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial costVSAvoidstrength of can bodies and can lids
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters by controlling chemical composition (C: 0.005-0.100%, Si: 0.010-0.050%, Mn: 0.10-1.00%, P: 0.007-0.100%, S: 0.0005-0.0090%, Al: 0.001-0.100%, Ti: 0.0050-0.1000%, B: 0.0005-0.0020%, Cr: 0.08% or less) and microstructure (proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite: 3% or less) to achieve high strength (upper yield stress: 550-620 MPa) in ultra-thin steel sheets, resolving the contradiction between reduced material thickness/cost and maintained strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite microstructure consisting of recrystallized ferrite and non-recrystallized ferrite phases with controlled proportions and characteristics. This composite microstructure, combined with specific alloying elements, provides both high strength and adequate ductility in ultra-thin steel sheets, enabling cost reduction through thickness reduction while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If the DR method is used to produce high-strength ultra-thin steel sheets, then strength is increased, but total elongation and formability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestrengthVSAvoidtotal elongation and formability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters by controlling chemical composition (particularly C: 0.005-0.100% and Ti: 0.0050-0.1000%) and microstructure (proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite: 3% or less) to achieve high strength (upper yield stress: 550-620 MPa) while maintaining adequate total elongation and formability, avoiding the poor ductility associated with conventional DR method steel sheets

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates local quality differences in the microstructure by controlling the distribution and proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite (3% or less) among the ferrite grains. This local microstructural characteristic provides both high strength and improved formability, resolving the contradiction between strength and total elongation that plagues conventional DR method steel sheets

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of substance

If die neck forming is performed on can mouths to reduce diameter, then material cost is reduced, but dents occur in the neck portion due to local deformation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial costVSAvoiddents in neck portion
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters by controlling chemical composition (C: 0.005-0.100%, Mn: 0.10-1.00%, Ti: 0.0050-0.1000%) and microstructure (proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite: 3% or less) to achieve high strength (upper yield stress: 550-620 MPa) and uniform deformability, preventing local deformation and dents during die neck forming while maintaining cost reduction benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies preliminary action by controlling the microstructure (proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite: 3% or less) and chemical composition before the neck forming process. This preliminary microstructural control ensures uniform deformability and prevents local deformation during subsequent die neck forming, avoiding dents while enabling cost reduction through diameter reduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Strength

If secondary cold rolling is performed to increase strength through strain hardening, then strength is increased, but uniform deformability decreases due to uneven strain hardening

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestrengthVSAvoiduniform deformability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters by controlling chemical composition (C: 0.005-0.100%, Ti: 0.0050-0.1000%, B: 0.0005-0.0020%) and microstructure (proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite: 3% or less) to achieve high strength (upper yield stress: 550-620 MPa) while maintaining uniform deformability. This approach eliminates the need for secondary cold rolling and its associated uneven strain hardening problems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies homogeneity by creating a uniform microstructure with controlled proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite (3% or less) distributed among ferrite grains. This homogeneous microstructure, combined with controlled chemical composition, ensures uniform deformability throughout the steel sheet, preventing local deformation and dents during forming operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a steel sheet with high strength and sufficient formability, specifically for can bodies with neck portions, reducing the occurrence of dents and improving commercial value.

Implementation Method 1

annealing, and temper rolling processes to achieve an upper yield stress of 550 MPa or more and 620 MPa or less

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAnnealing: Annealing

Implementation Method 2

cold rolling, annealing, and temper rolling processes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCold rolling: Cold-forming

Implementation Method 3

hot rolling, cold rolling, annealing, and temper rolling processes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHot rolling: Heating

Implementation Method 4

a microstructure with a proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite of 3% or less

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase transformation: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS12305254B2Steel sheet for cans and method of producing same
Publication Date: 2025.05.20 JFE STEEL CORP

AI summary

Provided is a steel sheet for cans with high strength and sufficiently high formability particularly as a material for a can body with a neck portion. The steel sheet for cans of the present disclosure has a chemical composition containing, in mass %, C: 0.010% to 0.130%, Si: 0.04% or less, Mn: 0.10% to 1.00%, P: 0.007% to 0.100%, S: 0.0005% to 0.0090%, Al: 0.001% to 0.100%, N: 0.0050% or less, Ti: 0.0050% to 0.1000%, B: 0.0005% to less than 0.0020%, and Cr: 0.08% or less, where 0.005≤(Ti*/48)/(C/12)≤0.700 is satisfied; and a microstructure with a proportion of non-recrystallized ferrite of 3% or less, wherein an upper yield stress is 550 MPa to 620 MPa.