Drink can

A drink can (or beverage can) is a metal container with a polymer interior designed to hold a fixed portion of liquid such as carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, fruit juices, teas, herbal teas, energy drinks, and more. These cans are very popular because they are easy to carry, keep drinks cold, and are strong enough to protect the liquid inside.

Drink can exteriors are most commonly made of aluminum, which makes up about 75% of worldwide production, or tin-plated steel, which accounts for the remaining 25%. Inside each can, there is a special coating of epoxy resin or polymer to prevent the metal from reacting with the drink.

Every year, around the world, people use approximately 370 billion drink cans. This huge number shows just how important and widely used these little containers are in our everyday lives.

History

The first commercial beer in cans began in 1935 in Richmond, Virginia. Soon after, sodas also started appearing in cans. A key development was the interior liner, which helped keep the drink’s flavor from changing by preventing a reaction with the metal. Another important factor was the end of Prohibition in the United States in 1933.

In 1935, the Felinfoel Brewery in Wales became the first brewery outside the US to sell canned beer. Before this, beer came in barrels or glass bottles. These early cans used a crown cork instead of a pull tab. Later, cans were opened with a special tool called a "church key". In the mid-1930s, some cans had cone-shaped tops, called "cone tops", that could be opened like bottles. In 1959, the recyclable aluminum can was introduced by the Adolph Coors Company.

Standard sizes

The size of drink cans changes a lot from country to country. In many places, the most common size is around 330 ml, but there are smaller and larger cans too.

In South Africa, cans are usually 330 ml, but there are also 200 ml, 300 ml, 440 ml, and 500 ml cans. In China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, and West Asia, common sizes are between 200 ml and 500 ml. In Europe, 330 ml is standard, but energy drinks often come in 250 ml cans, and beers may be in 500 ml cans. In the United Kingdom, lager and cider are often sold in 440 ml cans. In North America, the usual size is 12 US fl oz or 355 ml, though taller cans of 16 US fl oz or 473 ml also exist. Australia commonly uses 375 ml cans, while New Zealand uses 330 ml cans. In Brazil, the standard size is 350 ml.

Composition

Most drink cans in the United States are made of aluminum, while in some parts of Europe and Asia, many are made of steel, often with an aluminum top. The body of an aluminum can is made from a special alloy that is easy to shape, and the top is made from a harder alloy.

Aluminum cans can be recycled easily and are very cost-effective to reuse. Recycling aluminum saves energy compared to making new metal from scratch. The inside of these cans has a special coating to keep the metal safe, though tiny amounts of aluminum might still get into the drink depending on how it is stored.

Fabrication process

Drink cans are made using a special process that starts with a flat piece of strong metal. This metal is shaped into a small cup, and then it is pushed and formed into the shape of a can. At the same time, the bottom of the can is also shaped.

The tops of the cans, called shells, are made from another piece of metal. They are stamped out and then shaped to have a special opening tab that makes it easy to drink from the can.

Filling cans

Cans are filled before their tops are sealed. Machines use gas pressure to position the can, remove air, and pour in the drink. After placing the lid, a special machine folds and presses the edges to create a tight, leak-proof seal. Filled cans often contain pressurized gas, which helps keep them sturdy for handling.

Filling machines can operate at speeds from 15,000 to over 120,000 cans per hour. Some systems are simple and manual, while others use advanced automation with robots to handle and feed the cans and lids.

Opening mechanisms

Early metal drink cans had no tabs; they were opened by a can-piercer or churchkey, a device resembling a bottle opener with a sharp point. The can was opened by punching two triangular holes in the lid—a large one for drinking, and a second smaller one to admit air.

In 1959, Ermal Fraze created a new way to open cans called the "pull-tab." This invention made it easier to open a can without needing a separate tool. The pull-tab was very popular but caused a problem because people often dropped the tabs on the ground. Later, a new type called the "push-tab" was invented, but it had its own issues. Finally, the "Stay-Tab" was developed, which kept the tab attached to the can and solved many of these problems.

Pop-tab

In 1962, Ermal Cleon Fraze of Dayton, Ohio, United States, invented the integral rivet and pull-tab version, which had a ring attached at the rivet for pulling. He received a patent for his pull-top can design in 1963 and licensed his invention to Alcoa and Pittsburgh Brewing Company, which first used the design on Iron City Beer cans. The first soft drinks sold in all-aluminum cans were R.C. Cola and Diet-Rite Cola, made by the Royal Crown Cola company, in 1964.

Stay-on-tab

In 1958, American inventor Anthony Bajada was awarded a patent for a "Lid closure for can containers." Bajada’s invention was the first design to keep the opening tab connected to the lid of the can. Later, Daniel F. Cudzik invented the “Sta-Tab,” which also kept the tab attached. When the Sta-Tab launched in 1975 on Falls City beer and other drinks, it became very popular because it solved the problems of the earlier pull-tabs.

Press button can

A different type of can had buttons on the top that you pressed to open. These buttons were sealed with plastic and opened by pressing them, creating holes for drinking. However, these cans were replaced by pull tabs because they could be unsafe.

Full aperture end

Another type of drink can allows the entire lid to be removed, turning the can into a cup. This design was first used by SABMiller at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Resealable lid

Some drink cans have a special lid that can be closed again after opening. This type of lid was patented by Cogito Can in France and used by Groupe Casino for its energy drinks.

Recycling

Drink cans can be recycled, which helps save resources. Even though recycled aluminum is valuable, it often needs to be mixed with new aluminum to make strong new cans. Companies like Apple Inc. use the term "UBC," short for used beverage container, when talking about materials for products like laptop cases.

Design

Most big companies put their drinks in cans with designs printed directly onto the aluminum. Some cans are covered with plastic designs instead, which makes it easier to change the look of the can. A newer idea in craft drinks is to use stickers on cans, which helps small makers change flavors quickly.

Aluminum cans have a special coating inside to keep the drink tasting good and to stop the metal from getting damaged by the drink’s acidity.

Collecting

Beer can collecting became popular in the late 1970s and 1990s, but it didn't stay popular for long. The Beer Can Collectors of America, started in 1970, helped people who liked to collect beer cans. Later, it changed its name to the Brewery Collectibles Club of America to sound more up-to-date. By late 2009, the club had 3,570 members, much fewer than the 11,954 it had in 1978. Most members were older, with an average age of 59, and very few were under 30.