Comparison between simulative and experimental results of necking operations on aluminium can

The present paper deals with the realization of deodorant, spray, perfume and beverage cans. In order to satisfy all the new styling requirements, the companies leader in this market, are designing new machines to shape the can. In fact, during recent international congresses and exhibitions, a lot of differently shaped cans were presented. The shaping operation is normally performed by means of a flow of water (hydroforming) or air (blow forming). Anyway, shaping of the can is realized after the conical reduction of the diameter of the open edge of the can, namely the can necking. Safe final parts are obtained necking the can using multistage mechanical presses, with progressive necking dies. The aim of the present paper is to analyze and optimize, by FEM simulation, the necking operation of aluminium cans and furnish an instrument to design new necking die profiles and better distribute the working load and the can strain among all the stations