An Asian manufacturer has placed an order with Schuler for a press to produce beverage can lids. The Smartline SA-S can produce over 3,000 such lids per minute. The Smartline not only forms the can’s stay-on tab but also attaches it to the lid and forms the depressed panel with opening score.
This process is made possible by a special die supplied by the Japanese company Showa Machine-tool Co. Ltd. which combines the two steps. In addition to the pre-formed lid blanks, a metal strip is fed into the die to form the tabs. Four lids are produced simultaneously with every stroke. Schuler collaborated closely with Showa on the development of the overall system.
For an energy-efficient production of beverage can lids with few rejects, the Smartline SA-S provides a controlled AC drive with energy recovery as well as a temperature control of the body, an extremely fast switching clutch and brake as well as a depth penetration control. The Quick Lift feature allows the user to resolve outages as quickly as possible.
"Our client wanted to increase the production volume while reducing the number of rejects, and all of this at the best cost-benefit ratio," says Schuler Managing Director Johannes Linden. "All of the packaging manufacturers place great value on a resource-saving production. The Smart Line SA-S combines sustainability, better quality with maximum production quantity with a best possible cost-benefit ratio. "
The Smartline SA-S has so far been used for the punch-bundling of electric motor laminations – a similarly complex technical process. With a press force of 1,250 kilonewtons and a maximum speed of 850 strokes per minute, the machine will begin producing beverage can lids at the Asian manufacturer’s facility in early 2015.
Schuler will present systems manufacturing metal packaging for the aerosol, beverage and food industry at the trade show Metpack in Essen from May 6 to 10, 2014 (hall 3.0, stand C26).
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