The Ingenious Design of the Aluminum Beverage Can
engineerguy9 HN recommenders · 2016–2026
19.5M views · explainer · evergreen · Uploaded 2015-04-14
Bill Hammack of Engineer Guy explains the engineering behind the aluminum beverage can: why it is cylindrical, how it is manufactured, why it narrows at the top, the double seam, and how the pull tab works.
It is a go-to recommendation whenever cans, good design or mass-produced objects come up, and many also recommend the whole channel.
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13 comments from Hacker News
Wow. That was an awesome video. Thank you. I didn't know why the top had a neck. Further efficiency apparently. He has an excellent explanation of the two-mode pull tab towards the end. Direct link: [VIDEO]
While we are at it, the Engineering Guy has a really good youtube channel. His videos are not very frequent most of them does a great job explaining how mundane objects are designed and manufactured. I thought I was familiar with some of his subjects but I always end up learning something new after watching. Personal favourites: Aluminium cans: [VIDEO] Wind-up music box: [LINK] Nerf guns: [LINK]
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Nice video on the design and manufacturing of aluminum drinks cans here: [VIDEO] The whole thing is pretty ingenious, but the way the internal pressure helps vent the can while the tab is acting as a second class lever, then as soon as it’s vented becomes a first class lever to push the scored section of the top into the can — that’s great engineering.
Highly recommended related YT video: The Engineering Guy: The Ingenious Design of the Aluminum Beverage Can [VIDEO]
In a similar vein, I found this explanation [0] of how and why a soda can's tab functions the way it does to be fascinating. Very clever and elegant solution to the problem of opening a can under pressure. 0: [VIDEO]
It feels pretty disingenuous to write off all real world design as trivial or impossible to make an impression. For instance, aluminum cans are a great example of quality design [VIDEO]
Bill Hammond, the Engineer Guy on youtube, has a video on the design and engineering of the aluminum can with a brief clip of someone standing on a can (around the 7-8 minute mark). [VIDEO]
Engineer Guy (Bill Hammack) has a great video about this. [VIDEO] Edit: Just realized this is the same video you referenced. All of his work is fantastic.
It's represented everywhere that efficiency counts. I haven't fact-checked it, but one source[0] claims that refinements in the design of soda cans (thinner walls, different shapes) since 1960 saves "at least 90 million kilograms of aluminum annually." [0] [VIDEO]
Design of the aluminum beverage can [VIDEO] For everyone else, thanks for sharing! Normally i think sharing videos is bad mojo--the Internet is so personalized that favorites are difficult to share. But I really enjoyed most of what has been shared so far!
Whenever it’s about cans I can only recommend this video from the engineer guy [1]. He makes no videos anymore sadly. [VIDEO]
The complexity of a can isn't as extreme as a disposable ARM chip, but it is still quite a sophisticated mass produced object. [VIDEO] Many daily life, single use objects have a lot of thoughts put into them: [LINK]