5052 H19 / H32 Aluminium Strip for EOE Lids and Ring Pulls
5052 aluminium strip in hard tempers (H18, H19) and H32 is used for easy-open ends (EOE) on food cans and for ring-pull tabs and small closures. At 0.18 – 0.25 mm it combines tensile strength above 280 MPa in H19 with the formability to score, rivet and curl without cracking. Metline supplies 5052 closure strip and sheet, mill-finish or pre-treated and lacquered, to packaging converters worldwide.
- Alloy
- 5052 (Al-2.5Mg-0.25Cr)
- Tempers
- H18 · H19 · H32
- Thickness
- 0.18 – 0.25 mm typical
- Standard
- EN 541 · ASTM B209
How 5052 is used in easy-open ends
An easy-open end has to seal a can hermetically, survive retort or pasteurising, and then tear open cleanly along a scored line when the consumer lifts the tab. The panel needs strength and stiffness to resist internal pressure and denting; the score line must fracture predictably; and the tab must be strong enough to lever the score open without bending. These are competing demands that magnesium-bearing 5xxx alloys meet well.
For beverage cans, 5182 dominates ends and 5182 or 5042 dominate tabs, because those alloys give the highest strength at the thinnest gauge. 5052, with a little less magnesium, is widely used for food-can EOE panels, ring-pull tabs on food and aerosol closures, and smaller twist-off or peel-assisted closures, where its slightly better formability and lower cost suit the duty. H19 and H18 are used where maximum strength is needed; H32 for closures with more forming.
Typical specification for 5052 closure strip
| Parameter | Typical range | Typical tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 0.18 – 0.25 mm (0.18 and 0.20 common) | ±0.005 mm |
| Width | 50 – 1250 mm (slit to press width) | +0.5 / −0 mm (up to 800 mm), +1 / −0 mm above |
| Sheet length (cut sheets for lacquering) | 400 – 1000 mm | +0.5 / −0 mm |
| Sheet squareness | Diagonal difference 1 mm max | |
| Coil inner diameter | 75, 150, 300 or 508 mm | |
| Coil outer diameter | up to about 1450 mm | |
| Surface | Mill finish, chromate-free pre-treated, lacquered or colour-coated |
| Temper | Tensile strength (MPa) | Elongation min (%) | Earing (H18/H19) |
|---|---|---|---|
| H18 | 280 – 320 | 3 | ≤ 4 % |
| H19 | ≥ 285 | 2 | ≤ 4 % |
| H32 (reference) | 215 – 265 | 4 – 5 (thin gauge) | — |
Thin-gauge values typical of closure-stock specifications; the governing standard (EN 541 or customer specification) and the mill certificate apply.
Quality points that matter for closures
- Thickness consistency: score residual is only a few hundredths of a millimetre, so gauge variation directly changes opening force. ±0.005 mm is typical for 0.15 – 0.25 mm strip.
- Earing: low earing (4 % or less) keeps drawn shells round and saves trim scrap.
- Flatness: longitudinal waves of no more than about 2 mm height and 4 per metre, and edge waves under about 1.5 mm, for clean feeding into high-speed presses.
- Camber and coil build: camber up to about 5 mm and layer offset under 1 mm; neat coil ends without telescoping or edge cracks.
- Surface: clean, oil-controlled, free from scratches and roll marks that would show through lacquer or start score cracks.
- Food contact: composition to EN 602 and lacquers compliant with the regulations of the destination market.
5052 chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | Limit |
|---|---|
| Magnesium (Mg) | 2.2 – 2.8 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 0.15 – 0.35 |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.25 max |
| Iron (Fe) | 0.40 max |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.10 max |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.10 max |
| Zinc (Zn) | 0.10 max |
| Others, each / total | 0.05 / 0.15 |
| Aluminium | Remainder |
5052 compared with 5182 and 5042
| Point | 5052 | 5182 | 5042 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnesium (%) | 2.2 – 2.8 | 4.0 – 5.0 | 3.0 – 4.0 |
| Strength in hard temper | Medium-high | Highest | High |
| Formability | Very good | Good | Good |
| Typical closure use | Food EOE panels, tabs, small closures | Beverage ends and tabs | Beverage tabs |
| Relative cost | Lower | Higher | Medium |
If you are making beverage can ends, see our can end sheet and coil guide. For lacquered EOE and peel-off end foil, see EOE and POE lid foil.
How to order
- SpecifyAlloy and temper (e.g. 5052-H19), thickness, width, coil ID and maximum coil weight or OD.
- SurfaceMill finish, pre-treated or lacquered, with lacquer system and coating weight if required.
- Quality limitsEaring, flatness, thickness tolerance and any customer specification.
- DeliveryQuantity, destination and terms (EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP), with EN 10204 3.1 certificate.
References and standards
- EN 541 – Aluminium and aluminium alloys: rolled products for cans, closures and lids, specifications
- EN 602 – Aluminium and aluminium alloys: wrought products, chemical composition of semi-finished products for food contact
- ASTM B209 – Standard Specification for Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate
- The Aluminum Association – International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits
5052 for EOE and ring pulls: FAQs
Is 5052 or 5182 used for ring-pull tabs?
Beverage tabs are mostly 5182 or 5042. 5052-H19 is used for tabs and EOE panels on food and general-line cans and for small closures where its strength is sufficient.
What thickness is typical for EOE stock?
About 0.18 – 0.25 mm, with 0.18 and 0.20 mm the most common, held to about ±0.005 mm.
What is earing and why does it matter?
Earing is the wavy rim formed when a round blank is drawn, caused by directional properties in the strip. Low earing (4 % or less) keeps shells round and reduces trim waste.
Can the strip be supplied lacquered?
Yes. Strip or sheet can be pre-treated and lacquered on one or both sides with food-contact coatings to your specification.
Which temper should I choose, H19 or H32?
H19 or H18 for maximum strength in panels and tabs; H32 where the part needs more forming, such as deeper closures.
Need 5052 closure strip?
Send temper, thickness, width and surface requirements. We reply with availability, certification and a delivered quote.
