DRT
DRT

End Manufacturing R&D Tour at DRT

This video, filmed at DRT’s R&D facility, provides an inside look at how Easy Open Ends (EOEs) are formed. DRT, founded by the inventor of the Easy Open End in 1961, continues to refine end-making technology through research, development, and testing.


Forming the Stay-On Tab

The first step in the conversion process is forming the stay-on tab, which allows the can to be easily opened by the consumer. This was demonstrated in two ways:

Single-Stroke Press Demonstration
  • Shells (unfinished lids) are manually loaded into five different stations.
  • They are manually moved through each forming stage until the stay-on tab is attached.

High-Speed Minster Conversion Press
  • DRT then demonstrated this process at full production speed using a Minster Conversion Press.
  • This machine is configured for R&D and testing, capable of running a wide range of end designs.


The Role of the Conversion Press

The Conversion Press plays a critical role in turning a blank shell into a finished Easy Open End:

Starts with a Shell
  • The shell press forms a blank shell, which serves as the base for the lid.

Converts the Shell into an Easy Open End
  • The Conversion Press performs multiple forming, scoring, and tab attachment operations to create a fully functional Easy Open End.

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