Finishing solutions for cosmetics

There are many different types of containers used in the cosmetics industry including tubes, containers, jars, and vials for lotions and makeup. These products are usually painted with a variety of materials and also given mirror finishes using a metalising process that involves painting the product with a primer and applying metal using plasma vapour deposition. The product is then spray coated with a protective clear coating. 

In an industry focused on improving one’s appearance, it is crucial to manufacturers that the packaging appearance is perfect. Any surface imperfections will be rejected and scrapped. 

This is extremely challenging as the mirror finish typically magnifies and highlights any defects. The base coating must be applied in a smooth manner without any variation that can cause runs or air bubbles that cause marks. The flow rates must be extremely finely controlled and the atomisation must be extremely fine with an even distribution.

To solve this challenge, Graco uses the precision flow control of the ProMix PD2K Auto and uniform atomisation of our ProBell rotary atomiser. Controlling the flow rate and droplet size of the particles ensures the desired result is accomplished. PD2K Auto’s dual panel feature can supply both the primer and top coat with a single machine simultaneously, resulting in less upfront equipment costs and a lower cost of ownership.