Metal Foils and Foil Stock

Metal foils and foil stock are very thin, metal-mill products with a thickness that is usually less than 0.006 in. Copper foil and aluminum foil are the most common types of metal foils and foil stock. Silver foil and gold foil are more expensive and are designed for specialized applications. Some suppliers of metal foils and foil stock perform continuous strip casting, a manufacturing process used in foilstock production. Others purchase raw materials from foundries and perform in-house rolling and packaging activities. Foil stamping machinery is relatively easy to configure and available from a variety of sources. Hot stamp foil or hot stamping foil can adhere to a variety of substrates and surface textures.

Metal foils and foil stock are often coated or laminated to impart specialized properties. Important specifications to consider include foil thickness, coating thickness, adhesive type, adhesion weight, breaking strength, elongation percentage, maximum operating temperature, and color. Aluminum coated foil can be treated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a fluorinated thermoplastic with superior chemical resistance, and then applied to printed circuit boards (PCB). Laminated foil is designed to prevent the ingress of moisture, oxygen, vapors or dust. Other types of coated foils and laminated foils are also available. Foils can be laminated with materials such as polyethylene, paper, or fabrics that adhere by the use of rubber and acrylics. These types of metal foils and foil stock are used mainly by the medical and food processing industries.

There are many applications for metal foils and foil stock in the commercial, industrial, and consumer product sectors. Copper foil and aluminum foil is used to protect equipment and wrap components that require good electrical conductivity. Coated aluminum foil is suitable for heat-sealing jaws, bars, and pads. These metal foils and foil stock can also be used to cover work stations and laboratory tables, and in linings for spray booths, ducts, and conduits.

Metal foils and foil stock conforms to standards from organizations such as the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and the Copper Development Association (CDA). Products are classified according to the International Alloy Designation System (IADS), Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), and/or the Unified Numbering System. Metal foils and foil stock that adheres to U.S. military specifications (MIL-SPEC) and European Norm (EN) specifications is also available. 

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