# Question about Campbell soup cans' steel alloy

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-campbell-soup-cans-steel-alloy/331346>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-campbell-soup-cans-steel-alloy/331346 "2005-11-16T17:36:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-campbell-soup-cans-steel-alloy/331346/1 "2005-11-16T17:36:19Z")

</div>

I am not asking anyone to do my homework for me, but I am having trouble finding where I could even find this information, and I would really appreciate it if someone could point me in a possible direction.

I have homework for my Materials and Manufacturing class due on Friday that consists of this:

> [@](#):
>
> Given a large Campbell’s tomato soup can (46 oz). Answer the following questions.
> 
> 1. Determine and list the manufacturing steps for producing the can. Start with melting the steel.
> 
> 2. Identify an alloy used for making steel cans. List typical mechanical properties and include your reference for the information (In this instance CES will not be helpful).
> 
> 3. Why would steel be chosen instead of glass or plastic?
> 
> 4. Why are there ribs in the steel side walls?

I have found or can find the answers for questions 1, 3, and 4, but I don’t know about 2. Our book isn’t exactly helpful for this specific question, and when I try to google it, I mainly find pages about Warhol’s soup cans or metal manufacturing companies that don’t help.

If anyone knows of a website or resource that might help me I’d really appreciate it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-campbell-soup-cans-steel-alloy/331346/2 "2005-11-16T18:17:00Z")

</div>

How about the [MSDS](http://www.ussteel.com/corp/products/msds/2c009.pdf) for a likely material?

Sounds like you got trapped by looking for “soup” when “food” may have been a better search term.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-campbell-soup-cans-steel-alloy/331346/3 "2005-11-16T22:57:32Z")

</div>

Thanks **gotpasswords**! I think that could really help.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-campbell-soup-cans-steel-alloy/331346/4 "2005-11-17T07:51:58Z")

</div>

Two sources:

**ASTM Standard A 623M** , Standard Specification for Tin Mill Products, General requirements [Metric]. Standard A 623 without an “M” is the non-metric version of the same standard.

**The Wiley Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology** , Marilyn Bakker (ed.)  
Published by John Wiley & Sons Inc. 1986 pp. 544-554

Basically, canning steel is a mild steel, with less than 0.13% carbon, about 0.60% manganese and everything else kept to a minimum. It’s sometimes referred to as “blackplate”. Some canning steel grades are Type D, Type L, and Type MR. Might have some luck with Google!