Leading Metal Drum Manufacturers

There are two main types of steel drums, open-head and tight-head. The open-head metal drum has no covering, while the tight-head drum is sealed to store hazardous materials to minimize accidents. Both drums are fitted with nozzles and accessories for easy filling and emptying.

Types of Steel

The most commonly used material for manufacturing metal drums is steel, and any other metal is rarely used. Steel is widely used because of its wide range of properties that are best suitable for storing and transporting industrial products. Three types of steel are used for the fabrication of drums. These are:

Carbon Steel

• The more carbon content in the steel means it gets harder and stronger on heating.
• Carbon steel is an alloy of steel with a carbon content of 0.12% to 2%.
• Low-carbon steel is strong, tough, malleable, and ductile with low tensile strength.
• High-carbon steel works well with a heat treatment process, with no traces of impurities.

Stainless Steel

• Stainless steel is extremely durable and highly resistant to corrosion.
• Unlike regular steel, stainless steel does not corrode or rust with water because of the protective oxide film on it.
• Stainless steel has a recognizable luster with antibacterial properties.
• Stainless steel can be steam cleaned and sterilized, and it does not require to be painted or finished.

Cold-Rolled Steel

• Cold-rolled steels are smooth with better finishes and have an oily touch.
• Cold-rolled steels are harder and stronger than hot-rolled steel.
• This type of steel has easy formidability and tighter tolerance.

Each type of steel used for manufacturing metal drums is best suited for different applications. Carbon steel is used for handling and storing hazardous chemicals used in chemical processing, wastewater industries, etc. Stainless steel is best suited for sanitary applications and industries that require corrosion resistance, such as food and beverages. In addition, cold-rolled steel is used in industries that require high tensile strength, such as mining and defense.

Manufacturing Steel Drums

The manufacturing process of metal drums is a complex process consisting of several steps. Roll forming is the process that is used for making metal drums consisting of three basic steps:

Forming

Steel drums are produced by a plastic-forming method. This method is the best to make high-quality, high-strength workpieces with less material consumption and high productivity. Another special method for producing steel drums is roll forming. The steel body of the drum is placed on the mold, and processes like cutting and forming are done there. The roll forming cutting processes include sheet metal cutting, drum lid punching, blanking, and tapping.

Welding

The steel drum is welded with a seam welding machine which is a continuous method. It is an automatic method that uses two electrode wheels. The wheels are often disk-shaped and rotate when the material is passed through them. The material joints are melted with the help of current. These joints can be welded with the help of welding pressure. Seam welding results in an extremely durable weld.

Coating and Painting

Once the steel drums are formed, the next steps are the coating and painting procedures. Coating and painting are done to provide corrosion resistance and for aesthetic purposes. Cleaning is done before the coating, and the drums are rotated in the painting booth, where it is then sprayed. Finally, the drums are placed in an oven which dries the paint. After its drying, a code number, batch number or other information is inkjetted on these drums according to the client’s demand.

Applications of Metal Drums

• Metal drums are used by the transport and logistics industry for storing and transporting goods.
• The building and construction industry also uses metal drums to store building materials such as concrete or sand.
• The food and beverage industry also uses metal drums to store food items, spices, condiments, and many other products.
• The medical industry uses metal drums for safely storing equipment and other surgical products.
• Other industries like wastewater, chemical, and fuel processors use metal drums for storing hazardous materials.

Choosing the Right Metal Drum Manufacturer

To make sure you have the most positive outcome when purchasing metal drums from a metal drum manufacturer, it’s important to compare at least 4 suppliers using our metal drum directory. Each metal drum supplier has a business profile page which highlights their areas of experience and capabilities and has a contact form to directly communicate with the manufacturer for more information or request a quote. Review each metal drum company website using our patented website previewer to get an idea of what each business specializes in, and then use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple metal drum companies with the same quote.