Radial offset monitor

A can bodymaker comprising a radial offset monitor, said radial offset monitor comprising:

• a stripper including a housing;
• a body located in the stripper housing and defining an internal bore;
• and
• one or more eddy current sensors positioned within the body, spaced around the bore and capable of detecting the misalignment of a can body held on a punch moving axially through the bore while the bodymaker is in operation and can bodies are being fed in, relative to an axis of the can body.

A method of detecting axial misalignment of a ram and/or a punch, or of a can body held on the punch in a can bodymaker, the method comprising:

• providing a stripper housing defining an internal bore through which the punch passes;
• obtaining electrical output signals from one or more eddy current sensors within the stripper housing;
• and
• processing the signal(s) to detect any axial misalignment,
• whereby the steps of obtaining electrical output signals and processing the signal(s) occur while the punch moves axially through the internal bore while the bodymaker is in operation and can bodies are being fed in, relative to an axis of the can body.

A stripper assembly for a can bodymaker and being configured to remove a can body from a punch mounted on a ram of the can bodymaker, the stripper assembly comprising:

• a stripper housing defining an internal bore through which the punch passes;
• and
• a radial offset monitor comprising one or more eddy current sensors, the one or more eddy current sensors being located within the stripper housing or attached thereto,
• wherein the radial offset monitor is configured to detect misalignment of the ram and/or the punch, or of a can body held on the punch, within said bore while the punch moves axially through the internal bore while the bodymaker is in operation and can bodies are being fed in, relative to an axis of the can body.