Increasing material utilization in cup forming by folding-shearing

The global beverage-can industry scraps up to 15% of purchased material creating both financial and environmental costs. This scrap arises primarily when cutting circular blanks from rectangular sheets. This study explores can-making from tessellating hexagonal blanks using the folding-shearing process with a new trapezoidal beak geometry. A systematic investigation across a range of geometric variables leads to definition of an operating window connecting beak design to the onset of fracture via material locking in the tools. Cylindrical cups up to 35 mm in height are produced in nearly pure-shear deformation with minimal thinning and wrinkling, reducing material waste by ∼30%.