Container Diameter Expansion Using Multiple Dies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing containers, such as beverage containers, face challenges in efficiently expanding their diameter without causing damage, particularly when using hard temper alloys or coated materials, as they often result in fracturing, wrinkling, or buckling, and require costly tooling changes for different diameters.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of multiple expansion dies with progressively increasing diameters to gradually expand the container diameter up to 25% or more, maintaining the integrity of the metal and coating, and eliminating the need for knockouts and costly tooling changes by leveraging the pre-stress in the container material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the container diameter is expanded using conventional methods, then the container size increases, but the metal and coating fracture, wrinkle, or buckle
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion process is divided into multiple stages using a series of expansion dies with progressively increasing diameters. Each die performs a portion of the total expansion, allowing the container to be gradually enlarged without exceeding the elastic limit of the metal or coating at any single stage, thereby preventing fracturing, wrinkling, or buckling
Solution Approach 2:
The container is pre-stressed during manufacturing to store elastic energy in the metal and coating. This pre-stress allows the material to accommodate subsequent expansion forces without permanent deformation or damage when expanded gradually through multiple dies
2Adaptability or versatility
If tooling is changed to manufacture containers with different diameters, then production flexibility improves, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single set of expansion dies can manufacture containers with various diameters by adjusting which dies are used in the expansion sequence. The same basic tooling infrastructure serves multiple product specifications, eliminating the need for completely different tooling sets for different container sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The expansion process is made adjustable and flexible rather than fixed. By selecting different combinations of expansion dies from the same set, the system can dynamically adapt to produce containers of various diameters without physical reconfiguration of the tooling
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for significant diameter expansion of containers up to 25% without damage, maintains coating integrity, and reduces the need for additional tooling, enabling efficient production of containers with varying diameters using the same manufacturing setup.
Implementation Method 1
leveraging the pre-stress in the container material
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for manufacturing containers (70) including providing a container having a first diameter x; expanding the diameter of the container to a second diameter y with at least one expansion die (5) is disclosed. Expansion dies can be used to expand the diameter of a container. Multiple expansion dies can be used to gradually expand the diameter of the container without significantly damaging the container. The container can then be formed to accept a closure.