Aluminum cans have long been a part of everyday life. This lightweight, convenient, recyclable packaging is commonly used for foods and beverages but also for oil and chemical products. During can manufacturing a machine stretches and shapes the base and walls of a can. Inserted into the can, a can mandrel prevents undesirable creasing, puncturing, or collapsing of the aluminum during can production, printing or decorating.

Factors such as weight, thermal expansion, loading, and printing methods all play a part in the selection of a proper material for a mandrel. Acetal has long been preferred for this application but other materials may perform better depending on the production environment.

Piedmont Plastics has supplied materials for can mandrels for decades, and we stock a variety of machinable thermoplastics that deliver excellent solutions for can mandrel production.