SLAC launches compact D&I beverage can line

SLAC Precision Equipment has launched a “new concept” for beverage can manufacturers called The Smart Line.

It is a modular, compact D&I canmaking line that is offered with speeds of 300 or 600 cpm, depending on requirements, and has been designed and built by the China-based company in response to customer enquiries.

The low-speed beverage can line was introduced at Metpack, Essen, last week, attracting interest for its compact design and lower cost, putting it within reach of small to medium-sized canmakers.

Johnny Zhang, senior customer manager, said: “This is our smartest line, a new design.”

The complete low-speed line is being offered at a third of the usual price of a conventional beverage can line at around USD10 million.

Zhang said an order “for a Chinese customer” was already being built and would be commissioned “by the end of August”. Aimed at customers requiring smaller volumes, the compact line produces 211 diameter cans in sizes 330ml or 500ml or for slim format cans.

He said SLAC had received many requests for a smaller line from customers, and so developed the concept.

Marion Dumbleton, of wholly-owned SLAC subsidiary Intercan, said: “Basically it does all the size cans of a normal line. It’s expandable so it can grow with the company.”

Elaborating on the appeal of a more compact canmaking line, Richard Moore, director at SLAC, said: “There’s a lot of demand for a smaller volume, but with the same benefit of lightweighted cans.”

He said the company had been working on the project for some time. “In the past, we’ve done small volume lines, but this is a real step in the right direction. It’s a small volume but the capital expenditure is proportional.

“[The cost] is about a third of a conventional beverage can line, but the volume is about a third as well.

Two new items of equipment were incorporated: the Boxer bodymaker, first announced in 2019, and a new cupping press. “That’s very new, so you’re now replacing a whole line of bodymakers and cuppers.”

The Boxer bodymaker incorporates opposed toolsets with a central drive giving dynamic balance, with no vibration and with “much less noise”.

The machines do not need deep foundations so further reducing costs.

He said the line also included a small offset printer.

The line also uses a necking system launched last year. Moore explained: “There’s one motor in the middle, driving both sides… so the energy cancels each other out, so again no vibration.”

More information:
slac.com.cn/