Aluminium Slugs
Domed & Taper Slugs
Pre-shaped aluminium slugs engineered for monobloc aerosol can production. The dome or taper profile delivers the extra metal needed at the can shoulder — producing pressure-rated cans for perfumes, deodorants, sanitizers and pharmaceutical sprays without compromising on weight or strength.
About our domed and taper aluminium slugs
Domed and taper aluminium slugs are the specialised blanks from which monobloc aerosol cans — one-piece, seamless pressure containers — are impact-extruded. The dome or taper geometry pre-distributes aluminium to the regions of the slug that will become the can shoulder and base, where the finished can must withstand internal pressure during use and transport.
The global aerosol can market is dominated by aluminium for perfumes, deodorants, hair sprays and an increasingly long list of personal-care and pharmaceutical products. Behind every one of these cans is a precision-engineered slug. Western Metal Industries has supplied the Indian and export aerosol can industry since the mid-1990s and is one of the few Indian manufacturers capable of producing domed slugs across the full 9.8 – 135.8 mm diameter range.
Dome profiles we manufacture
- Flat domed — minimal crown, used for cans with moderate pressure ratings and shorter heights
- Conical domed — gradual taper from rim to centre, standard for most deodorant and perfume can designs
- Spherical domed — pronounced rounded crown, used for high-pressure and premium decorative cans
- Taper slugs — non-symmetric taper for specific can shoulder geometries
- Custom profiles — produced to customer drawings for proprietary can designs
Aerosol applications served
- Personal care — perfume sprays, body sprays, deodorants, antiperspirants, hair sprays, hair mousses
- Sanitizers and hygiene — surface sanitizers, hand sanitizer sprays, disinfectant sprays
- Pharmaceutical — metered-dose inhalers (MDI), topical anaesthetic sprays, throat sprays
- Household — air fresheners, insecticides, fabric refreshers, polish sprays
- Industrial — lubricant sprays, marker paint sprays, electronic contact cleaners
The metallurgy behind a safe aerosol can
An aerosol can is a pressure vessel that consumers handle casually — drop it, leave it in a hot car, dispose of it incorrectly. The slug it began as must therefore deliver uniform strength, no inclusions and predictable elongation. We control these properties from the melt upward: spectrometric melt analysis, continuous strip casting, precise hot and cold rolling, controlled annealing, and 100% inspection of the pre-shaped slug before packing. Our customers routinely pass burst-pressure testing at 1.5× rated pressure with our slugs.
Technical Specifications
Dome profile, diameter and thickness customised to your aerosol can design and pressure rating.
| Product Designation | Domed Slug / Taper Slug / Aerosol Can Slug |
|---|---|
| Preferred Alloy | EN AW-1050A (aerosol cans); EN AW-1070A on request |
| Aluminium Purity | Minimum 99.7% (primary aluminium) |
| Diameter Range | 9.8 mm to 135.8 mm |
| Thickness Range | 2.0 mm to 15.4 mm |
| Dome Profile Options | Flat Domed, Conical Domed, Spherical Domed, Custom Taper |
| Temper | O (annealed), H12 (quarter-hard) — application-specific |
| Hardness | 18 – 21 HB (Brinell), as per ISO 6506-4 |
| Surface Finish | Plain, Vibrated, Tumbled — selected for downstream lacquering |
| Pressure Performance | Slugs designed to enable cans rated 6 – 15 bar working pressure |
| Compliance Standards | EN 570, EN 573-3, ISO 6506-4 |
| Decorative Compatibility | Surface finish prepared for printing, lacquering, anodising downstream |
| Packaging | 25 kg cartons, palletised, customisable for export |
What makes WMI the supplier of choice for aerosol can makers
The slug is what stands between a successful product launch and a recalled batch. Here's our process.
Engineered for pressure
Dome geometry pre-distributes metal where the can will bear pressure — enabling thinner walls and lighter cans without losing safety margin.
Print-ready surface
Vibrated and tumbled finishes produce a uniform surface that takes lacquer and offset printing cleanly — critical for premium perfume cans.
Burst-test ready
Tight control on grain size and elongation. Our customers consistently pass 1.5× rated-pressure burst testing as required by international standards.
Export to 50+ markets
Slugs supplied to can manufacturers serving North American, European, Middle Eastern, African and Asia-Pacific aerosol markets.
Custom dome profiles
Capable of producing proprietary dome geometries from customer drawings — supporting design differentiation for premium brands.
Sustainability credentials
ISO 14001:2015 environmental management plus solar-powered manufacturing (1.32 MW installed) supports brand-owner sustainability targets.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from aerosol can manufacturers and brand-side packaging engineers.
What are domed and taper aluminium slugs used for?
+
Domed and taper aluminium slugs are pre-shaped blanks used to manufacture monobloc (one-piece) aerosol cans through impact extrusion. The dome or taper profile gives the slug additional metal in the shoulder region, which becomes the pressure-bearing crown of the finished can. Typical end products include perfume sprays, deodorant cans, sanitizer dispensers, hair spray cans, body sprays, household aerosols and industrial aerosols.
Why use a domed slug instead of a plain slug for aerosol cans?
+
Aerosol cans operate under internal pressures of 6–15 bar and must pass burst-pressure safety tests at 1.5x rated pressure. A domed or tapered slug provides extra metal where the can shoulder forms during extrusion, resulting in a thicker, stronger pressure-bearing dome on the finished can. Using a plain slug would either require excessive overall thickness (raising weight and cost) or produce cans that fail pressure testing.
What aluminium grade do you use for aerosol can slugs?
+
EN AW-1050A is our preferred grade for aerosol can applications. It provides the right balance of ductility for impact extrusion and mechanical strength to hold pressure. For high-pressure or premium decorative applications we can also supply EN AW-1070A or alloyed grades on request.
Are your aerosol slugs DOT-compliant?
+
We supply slugs that conform to international can-manufacturing specifications including EN 570, EN 573-3 and ISO 6506-4. DOT (US Department of Transportation) compliance applies to the finished can — not the slug — but the dimensional accuracy, alloy purity and grain structure of our slugs enable can manufacturers to produce DOT-compliant aerosol cans for export to North American markets.
What diameter and thickness range is available for domed slugs?
+
Our domed and taper slugs are available from 9.8 mm to 135.8 mm diameter and 2 mm to 15.4 mm thickness. Standard aerosol can diameters range from 35 mm to 66 mm; perfume and deodorant cans typically use 35–45 mm slugs. Custom dome and taper profiles are produced to customer drawings.
Can you produce custom dome profiles for specific aerosol designs?
+
Yes. Different aerosol applications require different dome geometries — flat domed, conical domed, spherical domed and tapered profiles are all standard options. Custom dome profiles for proprietary can designs are produced from customer drawings; tooling costs are quoted separately.
What surface finish is best for decorative aerosol cans?
+
Perfume and premium cosmetic aerosol cans are typically lacquered and decorated after extrusion, so the slug surface itself must be free of pits, scratches and rolling defects. We offer vibrated and tumbled finishes that produce a uniform surface ready for downstream printing, lacquering or anodising operations.
Discuss your specifications with our team
India's largest aluminium slug manufacturer. Serving 50+ countries since 1978.