The standard 500ml can height of an average normal-sized 500ml aluminum can is 168 mm (±0.3 mm tolerance range), the body diameter of the can is 66.1 mm, and the depth of the arch in the can bottom is 5.8 mm in order to ensure that compressive strength is 90 psi (pounds per square inch). For example, the worldwide aluminum cans of Ball Corporation occupy this space with an adaptation error rate less than 0.5% for the filling line, and production rate for the production line may be 2,000 cans per minute. If there is height deviation greater than ±0.5 millimeters, the filling level error rises to ±2%. For instance, Heineken’s line stoppage rate rose by 15% in 2021 because of a 0.7-millimeter height deviation of a particular batch of cans at a cost of over 800,000 euros.
Lightweight design is the key driver for height optimization. The ultra-slim aluminum tank (wall thickness: 0.18 mm) launched by Orijin in 2023 has reduced its height to 162 mm using structural strengthening technology (keeping the capacity at 500 milliliters), the weight of a single tank has decreased from 20 grams to 17 grams, and the transportation stacking layers have been increased from 15 to 18. The compressive strength of the tank body, however, remains at 85 psi (industry standard lower limit). In accordance with this design, Yanki Forest increased its single-box loading capacity by 12% and reduced its logistics costs by 9%. Toyo Can-making’s “seamless cold-formed can” in Japan is tightly controlled at 168±0.1 millimeters high, and the can body ellipticity deviation is only 0.05 millimeters (as opposed to 0.2 millimeters, the industry standard), reducing the rate of filling loss from 1.2% to 0.4%.
Regional standards vary significantly. The U.S. FDA demands the 500ml can height tolerance 500ml can dimensions to be ±0.5 millimeters, while the European Union standard EN 1.206 demands ±0.3 millimeters, causing a 10-18% increase in the reset cost of filling line parameters in cross-regional purchasing. For instance, an aluminum can consignment purchased by Coca-Cola from China in 2022 exhibited a height deviation of 0.6 millimeters (which was in line with the GB/T 31976 standard but more than what was required in the European Union). During filling in Europe, liquid level overflow rate was up to 3%, and it had to be reworked and 370,000 cans were lost. India’s BIS standard allows a ±0.4 millimeter deviation, but the local company Hindalco has refined the actual gap to ±0.2 millimeters using computer detection, taking filling line efficiency to 98.5% (industry average 95%).
Special function design converts height dimensions. The “Snap Pack” six-pack can of Carlsberg contains the widespread can wall technology. The height of all cans is increased to 172 millimeters in order to make room for the coupling structure, but the overall packaging volume is reduced by 24% and the occupancy rate of shelf space is reduced by 19%. To enhance the grip, Red Bull Energy drink cans have been made shorter at 169 millimeters and have added a strengthening ring on the bottom of the can (1.8 millimeters wide), elevating the compressive strength to 110 psi. However, the mold changeover time on the line has gone up by 25 minutes, causing loss of 800 cans per hour output. Ball Corporation’s intelligent can (with NFC chip integrated) has an additional 0.4-millimeter raised feature on the bottom of the can, resulting in a total height of 168.4 millimeters. Consumer interaction data capture fill rate is increased from 85% to 98%, but 3 seconds of calibration time per can is required on the filling line.
Compliance drives high optimization. EU’s “Green Packaging Directive” requires all 500ml can sizes by 2030 must be compatible with recycling equipment already installed, and the height range of variation is not greater than ±0.2 millimeters. Trivium Packaging’s recycled aluminum cans based on laser engraving technology meet the demand. The body height error of the can is regulated within ±0.15 millimeters, saving 7% of recycling smelting energy and reducing the shutdown frequency of the filling line from 1.5 times/hour to 0.5 times/hour. California’s AB 2784 Act mandates installing anti-slip patterns on the bottom of the tank (adding 0.3 millimeters in height), which costs $15,000 to modify expense per set. The tank traveling on the filling line, however, has fallen by 60%, which results in saving over $120,000 in maintenance costs annually.