The lightweighting of two-piece beer cans.

Gnyp, A.

Abstract
Significant gauge reductions have taken place in 2-piece steel cans which have been made possible by a change in the temper. The surface of the steel has also changed going from tin plate to tin-free steel, to chrome-chrome oxide, with present experiments centering around the use of nickel. Similar evolution has occurred with the aluminium can. The original cans were made of 0.017 in. base metal but at the present time numerous beer cans are being made from 0.0130 in. base metal. New alloys are being tried which will allow a further reduction in the gauge. The design of recent beer cans in the USA is described. As costs and can line speeds increase, closer control of the finished cans, in particular attention to bottom buckle and column strengths, become of major importance.
Keywords: beer can design plastic can sachet