The beverage packaging can is divided into two piece cans and three piece cans. Two piece cans are mainly made of aluminum alloy sheets and are commonly used for packaging carbonated beverages. The three piece can is mainly made of tin plated steel sheet (tinplate) and is commonly used for packaging carbonated beverages.

Two piece cans were introduced in the mid-20th century. The entire packaging can consists of two pieces, namely the can body and the can lid, hence it is called a two-piece can. The body of the two cans is made of thin metal plates, which are stretched and deformed by a punching machine through a stretching mold, connecting the bottom and body of the cans together. There are various classifications for the body of two cans: shallow flush cans and deep flush cans according to their height. According to the material of the can, it can be divided into aluminum cans and iron cans. According to manufacturing technology, it can be divided into thin drawing cans and deep drawing cans.

The application history of the three piece can has been nearly 200 years. Although it has been improved multiple times, its basic composition is still made of three metal sheets (mostly tinplate) for the can body, can bottom, and can lid, hence the name "three piece can". The shape, size, and manufacturing method of the bottom and lid of a regular three piece can are exactly the same, collectively referred to as the lid. There are two main sealing forms for the longitudinal seam of the can body: soldering and welding. Three piece cans have good rigidity, can produce cans of various shapes, high material utilization, easy size change, mature production technology, and a wide variety of packaged products.