Le Carre: computer simulation to develop a new can concept

摘要

Corus Research Development & Technology has recently developed Le Carre food can. This can has won several awards (Can of the Year Award 1999 and Gouden Noot Award 2000), due to its attractive and remarkably efficient design. One of the critical points in this development has been the seam design. This paper explains the role played by computer simulation in the redesign of Le Carre can to achieve a quality seam. Finite element techniques with explicit integration have been used to simulate the seaming process, a very complex and highly non-linear sheet metal-forming process with no positive guiding, where contact interactions are of paramount importance. The simulation methodology has been refined by comparison to real tests. Once tuned, the simulation methodology has helped to understand the seaming process in depth, recommend a new design and validate it through computer pre-test simulation. Pre-test simulation has revealed extremely useful as a tool to avoid time consuming redesign loops and accelerate market presentation of Le Carre redesigned can.