Schuler receives order for beverage packaging press

An Asian manufacturer has placed an order with Schuler, Göppingen, Germany, for a press to produce beverage can lids. The Smartline SA-S can produce more than 3,000 such lids per minute, forming the can’s stay-on tab, attaching it to the lid, and forming the depressed panel with opening score.

This process is made possible by a die supplied by the Japanese company Showa Machine-tool Co. Ltd. that combines the two steps. In addition to the preformed lid blanks, a metal strip is fed into the die to form the tabs. Four lids are produced simultaneously with every stroke.

For an energy-efficient production of beverage can lids with few rejects, the press provides a controlled AC drive with energy recovery, as well as a temperature control of the body, an extremely fast-switching clutch and brake, and depth penetration control.

With a press force of 1,250 kN and a maximum speed of 850 SPM, the machine will begin producing beverage can lids at the Asian manufacturer’s facility in early 2015.