In this video, we're going to talk about the cupper, a crucial piece of machinery found at the start of every two-piece can line.

The can-making process begins with the uncoiler, which slowly feeds aluminum coil into the cupper. Once the aluminum coil leaves the uncoiler, it enters a can conveying system designed to keep the coil square and straight as it approaches the cupper.

Although the aluminum coil already has residual lubrication from the mill, additional lubrication is added before entering the cupper. This is done for two primary reasons: first, to ensure a smooth cup-forming process, and second, to facilitate easier drawing and ironing of the cans by the Bodymaker.

The cupper operates as a dual-action press using a blank and draw process. With every stroke of the cupper, two key actions occur:


1) The coil is blanked into a circular shape.


2) The blank is then drawn into the shape of a cup.


The cupper produces between twelve and sixteen cups with each stroke, making it highly efficient. Due to this high output, there is only one cupper per can manufacturing line.

Once the cups are formed, they are ejected off the punch using compressed air. The cup conveying system immediately following the cupper is entirely air-fed, ensuring that the cups move quickly through the process.


After the air conveying system takes the cups away from the cupper, they reach a vacuum elevator, which transports them up to the second level for further processing.