Aqueous lubricant and surface conditioner for formed metal surfaces

A process comprising the steps of cleaning an aluminum can with an aqueous acidic or alkaline cleaning solution, drying the cleaned can, and subsequently conveying the cleaned and dried can via automatic conveying equipment to a location where it is lacquered or decorated by printing or both, wherein the improvement comprises contacting at least one exterior surface of said aluminum can, prior to the last drying of said exterior surface before automatic conveying, with a reactive lubricant and surface conditioner composition, thereby forming a film on the can surface to provide the surface of the can after drying with a coefficient of static friction that is not more than 1.5 and that is less than would be obtained on a can surface of the same type without such film coating, said reactive lubricant and surface conditioner composition being an aqueous solution comprising water-soluble organic material selected from phosphate esters, alcohols, fatty acids including mono-, di-, tri-, and poly-acids;

• fatty acid derivates including salts, hydroxy acids, amides, esters, ethers, and derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof, and at least one of the elements selected from zirconium, titanium, cerium, aluminum, iron, tin, vanadium, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, and hafnium in metallic or ionic form and the film formed on the can surface contains at least part of said inorganic material in addition to said organic material.