Odd marks on can?

Greetings dear fellow ATSers.

I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on what these marks are. I occasionally buy cans of milk based vitamin nutrient drinks, and I have noticed that all the cans have three bumps on one end of the can. All cans from this manufacturer are the same, in more than one store.

One theory I had was that it's part of a government study of trash recycling trends, the bumps being small transponders. The problem with this theory is that unusually, the cans are made of mixed metal, that is steel with aluminum and caps.

I was hoping someone on here might be familiar with process engineering and be able to solve the mystery.

Here are the photos - thanks for your attention!

I think it has something to do with how the cans are manufactured or transported. (it just happens in the factory.) Not sure but.....

a reply to: korkythecat

Government study on recycling? You can't be serious? I would guess the machine that turns this metal into a can presses there for marks of completion or something similar. Employees probably verify the marks are there to ensure the machine did it's job, that would be my guess.....Or aliens took over the government and each bump has a small probe that you ingest and now you are part of the "experiment".....

a reply to: korkythecat
I would say that the press that stamps out the can ends has something on it that is causing the marks. Either that or there is something amiss in the handling equipment that is marring them as the go through the process after they are manufactured/filled/sealed.

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

Well it could be to do with recycling...couldn't it?

lol I'll go with alien probe

they look hand finished, that's what makes me suspicious, but I'm sure it's nothing nefarious, I'm just curious as to what they are.

originally posted by: korkythecat
a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

Well it could be to do with recycling...couldn't it?

lol I'll go with alien probe

they look hand finished, that's what makes me suspicious, but I'm sure it's nothing nefarious, I'm just curious as to what they are.

Then pack up an empty can, send it back to the manufacturer, and ask them what the heck it is.

They may give you a free case just for letting them know something is amiss with their equipment...

Des

a reply to: korkythecat

Batch numbering.

a reply to: chr0naut

I knew someone would know! thanks for your input, sounds like this is a definitive answer.

cheers

korky

originally posted by: korkythecat
a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

Well it could be to do with recycling...couldn't it?

lol I'll go with alien probe

they look hand finished, that's what makes me suspicious, but I'm sure it's nothing nefarious, I'm just curious as to what they are.

No it couldn't honestly. Why would they spend gazillions of dollars putting transmitters in a can to see if it was recycled? Wouldn't it be A LOT cheaper to just hope it makes it to the center? There is about a 0.00001% chance that this is an experiment for recycling. That is entirely too much money spent on that. It just doesn't even make sense to me that something like that would even be a possibility honestly.

a reply to: korkythecat

Are the bumps all in the same place relative to the orientation of other parts of the can (the spout or the label, for example)?

If so, then the marks may be there so the orientation of the can could be read by the machine at the manufacturing plant or bottling plant. If the cans ever need to be oriented a specific way along the process, then maybe these bumps tell the machines how to orient the can.

a reply to: korkythecat

No it couldnt. It is a machine defect/effect within the canning process. Normal.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

Different cans have a different orientation of bumps, different positions, but there are always three.

To tell you the truth I think I have probably spent too much time on conspiracy websites recently and I am perceiving plots and agendas that don't really exist sometimes.

Apparently they are for batch numbering, as an earlier poster who seems to know said, and I believe them (for once lol)

thanks