Tata Steel Nederland has introduced a new can-making machine at its R&D facilities which utilizes a dry forming process, said to reduce energy use and cut investment costs for customers.
The company says cans can now be formed in a dry process due to the use of Protact - a poly-coated steel that reduces friction during forming - and advanced internal cooling of the tooling. This eliminates the need for emulsified water, reducing energy use and cutting the investment costs for customers.
Apparently, the new line can produce up to 400 cans per minute. The machine at Tata Steel aims to serve as a proof of concept where customers can see the dry forming process in action at full industrial speeds.
Tata Steel adds that it partnered with Grupo Calvo to develop a Protact tuna can, where the polymer layer applied to the steel reduces the need for oil to keep the tuna fresh and make it easy to remove from the can. The packaging is also said to be lighter due to more efficient material use.
Last month, Sidel claimed that its EvoFILL Can Compact filling solution is capable of filling up to 40,000 cans of beer, carbonated soft drinks, and other premium beverages every hour. Designed to offer flexibility and space efficiency for the low-to-medium speed production market, the seamer and process unit have been combined into a single block to maximize space efficiency and minimize its footprint.
Also in April, Coca-Cola revived its Share a Coke campaign in which consumers can scan an on-pack QR code to personalize their cans and access an interactive digital experience. Cans sold in-store will swap the Coca-Cola logo with a series of pre-printed names.
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