Aluminum cans for beer and other drinks have been popular all over the world since the 60s of the last century. In the USA, almost 100% of beer is sold in aluminum cans, in Europe - somewhere around 50%. Aluminum cans are consumed in huge quantities mainly in two types of containers: 0.33 and 0.50 liters. Large production volumes justify high-speed, high-precision production lines. In addition, these basic sizes of aluminum cans have the same diameter, use the same lids, and differ only in height.

A huge advantage of aluminum beer cans over the main competitor - glass - is the possibility of complete recycling of aluminum cans after their use into new beer cans.

Main elements and details.

Aluminum beer cans (and for carbonated drinks too) must withstand internal overpressure up to 6 atmospheres. Therefore, the design of the can includes a thick domed bottom and rather thin walls, which, however, with the help of internal pressure, provide the can with sufficient structural strength.

It is, of course, consistent with similar international standards. According to him, the main parameters and dimensions of beer aluminum cans are as follows (with an accuracy of 1 mm):

Beer can height:

• Bank with a capacity of 0.33 l - 115 mm
• Bank with a capacity of 0.5 l - 168 mm

Beer can diameter:

• Can bottom - 66 mm.
• Can lid - 59 mm.

Beer can wall thickness

• The body of an aluminum can is made by drawing in two passes from a flat round billet of the so-called "cup".
• Then the walls of this cup are thinned during their sequential rolling to a thickness of only one third of the original.
• The bottom of the can is specially profiled not only to withstand high internal pressure, but also to fit well with the lid of the underlying aluminum can for ease of packaging.
• The wall of the can is rolled out to a thickness of 0.110 mm or less over almost the entire height. At present, the minimum wall thickness is already reported to be as low as 0.08 mm.
• In the upper part of the body of the can, the wall is thicker and the thickness of the beer can in this place is 0.16 mm.
• This is necessary both for the convenience of forming a narrowed "neck", and to create a strong connection with the lid. The aluminum lids of the cans are supplied separately and are mounted on the body using the well-known “double lock” seam immediately after filling the can with beer or other drink.

Material requirements

The main requirement for beer can materials is their ability to be molded with large plastic deformations. Aluminum alloys are ideal in this sense. Also important for beer can lids is the ability to tear predictably along the notches. Aluminum does this much better than steel. Another positive point is that both the housing and the cover are made of aluminum, which minimizes any possible galvanic effects that could lead to accelerated corrosion.