Packaging Equipment and the Cosmetics Industry
The cosmetic industry includes a wide range of products ranging from beauty to haircare, soap, lotions and more. As a result, the packaging equipment used to prepare these products for the shelf will vary as well. However, there are several types of machines that will likely be seen in any automated packaging line for cosmetics.
Rinsing Equipment
For an industry that is grounded in beauty, purity and cleanliness, the products that make up that industry strive to hit the shelf pure of imperfections. The FDA defines cosmetics as products that are "intended to be applied to the human body" for a variety of reasons. Semi-automatic and automatic rinsing machines assist in keeping the packaging process of cosmetic products "pure". By rinsing containers prior to introducing product, cosmetic packagers can help to ensure that no impurities or contaminants are mixed with product from the manufacture, shipping or storage of the containers. Container rinsing equipment can use air, water or other cleaning solutions to prepare bottles for product. These machines typically sit just prior to a filling machine to ensure peak cleanliness prior to the fill.
Filling Machinery
Different filling machines may be ideal for different projects in the cosmetic industry. As product viscosity can vary from water like products to thicker creams and lotions, it would not be unusual to see almost any type of filling machine on a cosmetic packaging line. The best filler for any project will depend on the products to be run on the machine. For instance, a water-like soap product may be run on an overflow or gravity filler, while thicker lotions or products with particulates may require a piston or pump filling machine. Even less common liquid fillers, like molten filling equipment, may be used for products such as lipstick, other balms or deodorants. Both semi-automatic and automatic fillers may be used in the industry depending on the speed needed to meet the demand of the product.
Capping and Sealing Equipment
Just like the filling equipment, the capping and sealing machinery found in the cosmetic industry will vary greatly based on the type of closure being used for any given product. The automation level of the capping equipment will also meet the needs of the packager, with cappers ranging from simple handheld devices to fully automatic machines with automatic cap delivery. The cosmetic industry will see machinery such as corking machinery for certain perfumes to screw-on machines such as spindle and snap cappers for soap and shampoo bottles. Pump sprayers, flip-top caps, overcaps, inserts and more can all be handled by specific sealing machinery. Again, the best machine for any cosmetic project will depend on the bottle and closure being used to prepare the products.
Other equipment such as semi-automatic and automatic labelers, coding equipment, conveyor systems for automatic packaging lines and bottle loading machinery may all be seen on a cosmetic line. Though some machines are seen more often than others, the entire cosmetic industry truly uses almost every type of packaging machine available. To learn more about packaging equipment for the Cosmetics Industry or to discuss your own project, contact a Packaging Specialist at Liquid Packaging Solutions today.