Abstract: A flatness control system includes a work stand of a finishing line, a plurality of actuators, a flatness measuring device, and a controller. The work stand includes a pair of vertically aligned work rolls. A first work roll of the pair of work rolls includes a plurality of flatness control zones configured to apply a localized pressure to a corresponding region on a substrate. Each actuator corresponds with a one of the plurality of flatness control zones. The flatness measuring device is configured to measure an actual flatness profile of the substrate. The controller is configured to adjust the plurality of actuators such that the localized pressures modify the actual flatness profile to achieve the desired flatness profile at the exit of the stand. The thickness and a length of the substrate remain substantially constant when the substrate exits the work stand.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: A tamper-evident, re-closable container is disclosed, comprising a container body, having a neck portion with a cammed projection, and a mouth rimmed by a lip and a closure having a top portion with a groove to rotatably engage and seal against the lip of the container, and a bottom portion having a contour formed therein to rest under the cammed projection. A breakable tamper-evident section circumferentially connects the top portion of the container to the bottom portion of the container and connecting means connects the top portion to the bottom portion. Rotation of the closure around the mouth of the container causes the cammed projection to force the bottom portion downwardly to break the tamper-evident section. A tamper-evident closure is also described for use with a re-closable container, having a top portion that can be rotated around a mouth of the container to cause a tamper-evident section to break.

Abstract: The invention relates to can body stock having opposed surfaces. The can body stock has a core layer, a cladding layer at a first surface (intended to form an exterior surface of an eventual container body), and optionally a cladding layer at a second surface (intended to form an interior surface of an eventual container body). The cladding layer at the first surface is made of alloy AA3104 or AA3004 (or a modified version of AA3004 or AA3104 containing more iron and optionally more silicon), and the core layer is an aluminum alloy having yield strength less than that of the aluminum alloy of the cladding layer at the first surface. The can body stock may be used to produce a container body by a method involving drawing and ironing, as well as die necking to reduce the diameter of the open end of the container body.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a sheet article having opposed first and second surfaces, and having a core layer, a cladding layer at the first surface of the sheet article, and optionally a cladding layer at the second surface of the sheet article. The cladding layer at the first surface is made of an aluminum alloy selected from alloys AA3104, AA3004 and modified versions of alloys AA3104 and AA3004 additionally containing 1.0 to 2.0 wt % Fe and optionally up to 1 wt % Si. The core layer is an aluminum alloy having a yield strength and/or ductility greater than the yield strength and/or ductility of the alloy of the cladding layer at the first surface. The sheet article may be used as can body stock, can end stock and tab stock.

Abstract: The exemplary embodiments provide a die set comprising a knockout punch and a necking die for necking-in a metal container preform. In an axial direction from front to back of the die, the die has an inwardly tapering in-feed surface, a forming radius, a generally cylindrical land having a die bore diameter, a discharge surface and a relief surface having a diameter larger than the die bore diameter. The land has an axial length of less than 0.1 inch. It is believed that such a length limits the number of metal contacts with the land (rebounds between the knockout punch and the land) to one or two as a metal container preform is necked in the die in conjunction with a knockout punch having a punch diameter that provides a gap between the knockout punch and the land. While the gap may be larger than the topwall thickness of the metal of the preform within the gap, it may alternatively be the same as, or smaller than, the thickness (by up to 10%), to effect re-resizing of the container wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming metal containers. The method involves introducing a knockout element (110) into the container body through the open end, providing a forming die shaped to reduce the diameter of the sidewall of the container body (100) when the open end of the container body (106) is forced therein to produce a neck portion of reduced diameter on the container body, driving the open end of the container body into the forming die (108), retracting the knockout element through the neck portion as the neck portion is formed, and removing the container body (106) from the forming die (108) and knockout element (110). In the invention, the driving of the open end of the container body into the forming die and/or the movements of the knockout element are carried out under computer numerical control, preferably employing linear motor drives, thereby enabling the driving or movement to be optimized for the container body and the neck portion formed thereon.