Sponsored: Improve Can Line Production with Hyperion’s Material Science Innovations
Cans on factory conveyer belt
Hyperion’s Can Tooling Competence Center in Barcelona, Spain is dedicated to innovation. A continual focus on improving the can production process has led to novel solutions. In 2025, the team is building on expert tooling solutions by developing new, lighter grades that deliver even more efficiency to can makers.
Improving Swing Lines
The Can Tooling engineers at Hyperion set out to optimize the can making process for customers implementing flexible production lines, known as swing lines, that allow for can size changes. Manufacturers must stop production to modify can lines when “swinging” between sizes. Production down time is a cost challenge, so Hyperion set out to develop a solution.
Introducing a Low-Density Carbide Grade
The result is low-density carbide grade DZ18 that reduces the time required for realignment of the bodymaker during the swing process. By leveraging low-density carbide punches for larger can volume lines, can manufacturers maintain the same weight on punches across high and low volume can production. Consistent punch weights reduce the time for bodymaker swings by up to 98 percent. In an optimized can line with correct bodymaker tool designs, manufacturers could see downtime for bodymaker swings decrease from 12 hours to as little as 15 minutes.
Lightweight, Long-Lasting Carbide
Even with lower density, DZ18 delivers the consistency and toughness expected from a carbide punch. Carbide punches in grade DZ18 weigh approximately 15% lighter than standard density carbide grades like C9M, H12N, and DZ10. The low-density grade DZ18 offers reliable abrasion and corrosion resistance to provide can makers with two to four times longer tool life than conventional grade punches.
Impact to the Bottom Line
Investing in low-density cemented carbide punch sleeves is a step toward managing production costs through decreased down time and tooling expenses. Carbide punch sleeves in grade DZ18 decrease downtime when changing sizes on a can line, but they also decrease the need for line stoppage due to quality issues. DZ18 carbide punches deliver improved sliding properties in the bodymaker to facilitate stripping of the can and reduce tear-off rates. Reduced stripping problems decreases spoilage rates so lines run efficiently, with minimal downtime for quality issues.
For an example of downtime cost impacts, consider a typical can manufacturing plant with two lines that operate six bodymakers per line for approximately 320 cans per minute (CPM). The lines run at 80 percent efficiency and a line is swinging for 6 hours every 3 weeks. The additional production achieved by using a lightweight can punch from Hyperion’s grade DZ18 represents a production increase of up to 17 million cans annually.
Punch sleeves in low-density grade DZ18 offer the additional cost advantage of lowering total tooling expenses. Cemented carbide punches consistently maintain surface finishes during production cycles, lessening quality issues and the frequency of maintenance. The toughness of carbide punches in grade DZ18 delivers a longer production life before repolishing, crosshatching, or regrinds are required. Extended time between punch maintenance decreases overall tooling cost. With proper maintenance, punch sleeves in carbide grade DZ18 have a longer total punch production life so replacement costs decrease.
Learn More at LATAMCAN
Innovating the can line requires optimizing production parameters, tooling, and materials. Hyperion is here to help. Beyond tooling designs, Hyperion’s Can Tooling engineers provide support for improving production efficiency and managing costs.
The Hyperion team is available to discuss can line optimization at LATAMCAN in Sao Paolo, May 21-23. Find us at Booth 95 in the Ballroom Garden to view DZ18 in person.