more efficient tin cans?

Question

Why don't they make tin cans square so they can be stacked more easily in garbage cans?

Answer 1

Actually, the tin can is about as efficient a container as possible for a given amount of metal. I dont know if you know calculus, by take the derivitive of volume for the can as expressed in area of metal used and compare that to a square can. Youl find it much much more efficient use of costly metal. .

Save the ball shape as best, round cans are more efficent for volume per metal used than any other shape i can think of.

That is the first reason i can think of , secondly, food is kept in these cans under Vacuum, so the design of a square surface is subject to internal collapse and loss of vacuum holding capabilities. That can be proven mathmatically by picking the midpoint of the square surface and doing an easy force, deflection calculation, then a comparitive volume collapse based on that deflection. On this matter of strength, the round can will win, hands down.

Answer 2

I would imagine the main reason is the structural integrity of the can. A square can has 90 degree bends in it, which would mean the metal has to be bent further than it is really suppose to. This would cause weak points in the can which could result in the can breaking if it were to be dropped, or if anything was stored within it which would create pressure. Tin is a very malleable metal, but bending it in one spot, rather than evenly distributing the curve across the entire can would be bad engineering.

Answer 3

I bet that round is a sturdier design, less likely to squash.
Also round may have the greatest volume for the amount of metal. It's steel, by the way.