Action-packed METPACK ‘11

Metpack ’11 was a resounding success for Soudronic and an immensely rewarding experience for all our staff and visitors. Hundreds of customers from all over the world together with agents and the sales teams of our associates flocked to booth E10 in Hall 3, where five major attractions awaited them. Prime among them was the new SOUCAN 1100 FB high-speed welder, flanked by the UNISEAL HSS heat-sealing system and the revolutionary new FBB T3 ECO conversion machine. No less impressive were the Cantec Can-O-Mat and the Sabatier Bodypack 5 industrial packaging system.

Interested visitors were ferried by shuttle bus from the Messe Essen Exhibition Complex to the Cantec GmbH & Co KG in-house exhibition, where they had a chance to see the End-O-Mat multi-die press, and End-O-Mat disk curler, an End-O-Mat rotary liner and a P4 double-die press as well as single- and five-station Can-O-Mat machines, an end-drying system and a packaging system.

Judging by on-the-spot reactions, customers genuinely appreciated the chance to obtain so much valuable information in such a short period of time. A further indication of the all-round satisfaction was the number of customers, suppliers and employees who attended the by now traditional Soudronic Swiss evening, held on 11 May at Cantec’s premises. Almost 600 guests attended and were treated to traditional Swiss music and a wide range of Swiss delicacies whilst mixing with friends, sales crews and suppliers in the congenial and relaxed surroundings.

Pushing forward with new technologies

On the technology side, we are proud to announce that the Soudronic Group took second place in this year’s Metpack Committee Innovation Award for its patented ring-pull solution for all types of peel-off ends. Soudronic’s François Chevalley unveiled the technology in his presentation at the Metpack Conference held on 11 May.

Another technology-driven venture is a project Soudronic recently entered with steel suppliers Rasselstein and metal printers KBA to downgauge the tin plate material to 0.100 mm used in cans and thus cut raw material costs for our customers. All three partners ran a joint promotion on their Metpack booths (Rasselstein/KBA and Soudronic).

Soudronic was also present at the Interpack Platform «Metal Packaging Plaza», Hall 11, in Düsseldorf, organised by EMPAC, where the main item on the agenda was the environment-friendliness of the European metal packaging industry.

Technology that keeps you ahead

Metal packaging is a forward-looking technology that is economical, environment-friendly and above all sustainable. The aim behind all our advertising and public communications is to ensure that manufacturers and consumers alike understand that message and to make cans their packaging of choice today and well into the future.

We should like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to all our customers and associates who helped to make Metpack ’11 such an outstanding success. And to assure them that we intend to go on providing the exciting new technologies that sharpen their competitive edge and keep them ahead.

In-line shaping in CAN-O-MAT

Integrated die shaper and spread expander for CAN-O-MAT I is now available

The initial product for the industrial manufacture of 3-piece cans is a round cylinder with a welded longitudinal seam. By necking, flanging, beading and seaming these cylindrical bodies are converted to the well-known cylindrical cans for beverages, foodstuffs, milk, aerosol or chemical products. Due to their smooth cylindrical shape all cans look more or less the same. Many fillers now demand individually shaped cans to distinguish themselves from their competitors.
Spread expansion is the most popular technique to shape cylindrical bodies, with radially moving forming segments expanding and shaping the cylindrical bodies. This process is the most effective due to low wear, low energy consumption and flexibility in shape design.

Other techniques use hollow shaping dies (molds) into which the bodies are pressed. The pressure medium is highly compressed air or a jet of water. These techniques are expensive, slow and inflexible.

The spread expanding technology is now available as a CAN-O-MAT station including new innovative forming segment guiding device: 8 tool heads per station, diameter up to 99 mm (401), height up to 140 mm (514) and capacity up to 600 cpm.

For better handling the can body should be flanged or pre-flanged before entering the spread expander.
Two versions are possible:

  • The flanged diameters are equivalent to the welded or necked-in can body diameters and the shape is formed mainly in the middle of the can body: the necked/flanged can body enters the spread expander directly.
  • The flanged diameters are larger than the welded can body diameter: The enlarged flanged diameters have to be formed first by die-expanding in order to get a homogeneous flange form and width. After that the pre-expanded can body enters the spread expander.


The spread expanding tool has 12 forming segments up to diameter 83 mm (307) and 15 forming segments for diameter 99 mm (401)

Beside the spread expanding station the die expanding (die-shaping) station to prepare the can bodies having enlarged flanged diameters is available now also as an integrated CAN-O-MAT station: 8 tool heads per station, diameter up to 99 mm (401), height adjustable up to 140 mm (514) and capacity up to 800 cpm.

A combined CAN-O-MAT machine including die-shaping and spread expanding can be used as a by-pass machine in an existing line.
Also every new or existing CAN-O-MAT can be equipped with these new stations.

Integrated high speed roll seaming for CAN-O-MAT I is now available

Successful introduction of integrated roll seaming into the CAN-O-MAT I.

After successful introduction of integrated roll seaming into the CAN-O-MAT I for a diameter range of 52 mm to 99 mm (202 to 401) up to 800 cpm, a high speed version for diameter range 52 mm to 73 mm (202 to 300) up to 1200 cpm is now available, too.
The high speed roll seamer has a small pitch circle diameter (same as standard with 4, 6 or 8 spindles) but needs 12 spindles. The 24 seaming rollers require more space than standard. Therefore larger infeed and discharge stars are needed. At least the high speed roll seamer requires a special CAN-O-MAT frame. The CAN-O-MAT I high speed roll seamer has the same favourable features as the CAN-O-MAT I standard roll seamer which are seaming at the bottom end (better access for setting and change over), only one rigid lever for both rolls, easy setting procedure of the seaming rolls in axial and radial direction and others more (see CAN-O-MAT roll seaming).
The 12-spindle roll seamer can be combined with any 12 spindle die necker, flanger, beader etc. in one machine frame which results in a very small and compact machine for this diameter and capacity range.

Published by the CANMAKER 2010 October.

2nd Photo: The roller seamer system from Cantec enables operators to adjust the seaming roller quickly and easily.

As three-piece drinks cans continue to grow in Asia

High rollers. As three-piece drinks cans continue to grow in Asia, canmakers are appreciating the benefits of roller seaming technology from German company Cantec.

A seaming system for three-piece beverage cans which allows fast diameter changes is proving popular in Asia, and particularly China.
Three-piece cans for the non-carbonated beverages industry have long been popular in the region, says Norbert Lentz, vice president of engineering at Cantec, part of the Swiss-based Soudronic group. For new lines being installed in the region, Cantec is supplying its latest CAN-O-MAT bottom seaming unit.
The CAN-O-MAT unit is well established in the area, having been applied to canmakers there in the 1990s. However, while earlier machines featured rail seaming technology, Cantec's current installations use the company's integrated roller seaming technology, developed to offer a range of benefits.
In conventional roller seaming, the roller typically has an eccentric shaft used to set the radial distance between the roller and the seaming chuck, says Lentz. With the Cantec design, the seaming roller has a concentric shaft that is screwed into the seaming lever. This enables the operator to accurately adjust the roller axially to the seaming chuck lip, and also to unscrew and replace the roller quickly.
The system is also designed for straightforward radial adjustments to the seaming roller. Rather than being attached directly inside the seaming lever, the rollers are mounted on slides that can be moved along the seaming lever, towards the seaming chuck centre, using a spindle. The seaming roller can therefore be set radially to the required distance from the chuck, and to a different diameter, without the operator needing to change the seaming lever.
Once the variables have been set, each adjustment mechanism is held in place with a clamping screw, to maintain accuracy. The system is also designed to be sturdier than alternatives, with fewer moving parts. This is achieved by mounting the seaming rollers - for both the first and second operations - on one seaming lever that swings alternatively to either side, engaging one roller after the other.

Published by the CANMAKER 2010 October.

1st Photo: Eng. Saleh Al-Glhamdi, Deputy Chief Executive, Al-Watania for Industries

2nd Photo: Saleh Al-Glhamdi (left), officially opened the plant, here together with Mustafa Ahmed, Manufacturing Director, International Cap (Capex)

 

Capex inaugurates new production lines

International Cap (Capex), a leading player in the global metal packaging industry with one of the world's largest integrated operating facilities, recently celebrated the inauguration of two high-speed production lines at its factory in Dubai.

Two twist-off cap lines boosting Capex capacity by more than one billion caps per year and a new line for peel-off ends capable of producing 120 million pieces annually were supplied by Cantec and Soudronic.

Capex is a member of Al Watania For Industries, a highly regarded industrial pioneer in the Middle East. Its two new lines are part of a program of progressive investment designed to meet increasingly heavy demand from the company’s customers.

The inauguration ceremony was held in Dubai on November 8/9, 2010 and attended by key industry personalities from all over the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Representing Cantec and Soudronic were Dirk Sauerwald and Werner Nussbaum, respectively, who were pleased and proud to have supplied the systems and to be there at their inauguration.