Texture-based design of a convoluted cut-edge for earing-free beverage cans

A texture-based earing model is applied to minimize earing of a 25 cl aluminium beverage can. Earing of can body stock was simulated by means of a polycrystal-plasticity model from the crystallographic texture of the sheet. The simulated earing profile was used to devise an optimized blank shape with minimum earing for the designated can geometry, and a convoluted cut-edge was produced accordingly. The earing patterns of the resulting intermediate cups and final cans were compared with their counterparts produced with a conventional round tool, demonstrating that the optimized blank shape quite efficiently reduced earing. The underlying assumption that an earing-free cup will actually lead to an earing-free can is discussed.