As recycled aluminium use grows in aerosol can production, changing material inputs can place new demands on extrusion tooling. Alberto Gonzalez, sales director at Hyperion Materials & Technologies, explains why carbide selection is only one part of maintaining consistent tooling performance.

As aluminium inputs evolve, consistent extrusion performance depends on more than carbide grade selection. Application expertise can assess operating conditions, develop the tooling solution, manufacture it consistently, and support performance over time.

Sustainability goals are increasing recycled aluminium use in aerosol can production. This supports circularity objectives but can also make extrusion conditions less predictable.

Post-consumer recycled aluminum, or PCR, can contain residual alloying elements such as zinc that may change the hardness and forming behaviour of the material. These variations can increase demands on extrusion tooling, affecting wear, aluminium pick-up, cleaning frequency, and process consistency.

For can makers, choosing a more wear-resistant material is important, but it is not the complete answer. Performance depends on the interaction between the aluminium, machine, tool design, and manufacturing process. As material inputs evolve, tooling support must extend across the complete application.

Start with the application, not the carbide grade

Carbide selection is important, but it should not be the only decision. A tooling issue may result from abrasive wear, impact damage, aluminium pick-up, dimensional variation, misalignment, or several factors acting together.

The same carbide grade can perform differently between production lines. Aluminium composition, can geometry, press condition, speed, lubrication, alignment, and extrusion loads can all influence performance. Recommending a material without understanding these conditions can solve one problem while creating another.

Hyperion’s application specialists consider the aluminium being processed, machine and extrusion conditions, tooling requirements and customer priorities before recommending a solution. The objective is to determine the right combination of material, design, and manufacturing controls.

Understanding wear from your tooling

Used tooling provides valuable information. Surface wear, chipping, scoring, aluminium pick-up, and dimensional change can indicate how the tool is interacting with the process.

A structured review can distinguish material-related issues from tool design, machine condition, or process stability. This can point towards a different carbide grade, tooling design change, tighter manufacturing control, or other process adjustments.

Develop the complete tooling solution

Once the performance drivers are understood, the tooling solution can be developed around the application.

Carbide must provide the required balance of wear resistance, toughness, and strength. Surface condition must support stable aluminium flow and limit material build-up. Tight, repeatable tolerances help replacement tools perform consistently from one component to the next.

Tool assembly and press fit are also important to service life. The carbide must be correctly supported, and the press fit controlled to manage assembly and extrusion stresses. Poor or inconsistent fit can contribute to premature carbide breakage, even when the grade itself is suitable.

Hyperion brings material expertise, tooling design and precision manufacturing together to deliver repeatable production performance.

Refine the solution with production feedback

A strong tooling development programme continues even after the component is manufactured. Production feedback shows how the solution performs under operating conditions. 

Surface condition, cleaning frequency, productive run length, and output consistency can identify where refinement is required. This is valuable as recycled content increases or composition varies.

Reviewing production results with the customer allows material choice, tooling details, and manufacturing requirements to be refined using evidence from the line. This supports a controlled transition to stable production.

Support performance throughout the lifecycle

Tooling requirements can continue to change after implementation. Aluminium inputs may vary, production targets may increase, and equipment conditions may evolve.

Ongoing technical support helps manufacturers respond while maintaining predictable tooling performance. Consistency between replacement tools is also critical. Reliable manufacturing processes and tight tolerances help ensure each component matches the approved specification, reducing machine adjustment and supporting maintenance planning.

Extending useful tool life can support sustainability by reducing replacement frequency and maximising the value of carbide already in service. Carbide recycling at the end of life can contribute to a more circular tooling model.

Building resilience as aluminium inputs change

Recycled aluminium is becoming an increasingly important part of aerosol manufacturing, but changing material inputs can create additional demands on extrusion tooling.

The solution is a combination of application assessment, carbide expertise, tool engineering, precision manufacturing, controlled surface quality, correct assembly and press fit, production feedback, and ongoing technical support.

Together, these capabilities help manufacturers adapt tooling to changing aluminium inputs while maintaining the productivity, consistency, and reliability required for impact extrusion.

By supporting the complete application rather than supplying a standalone component, Hyperion helps aerosol can makers build a more resilient tooling strategy for sustainable production.