Latest Packaging Automation Trends for Cosmetics, Beauty Care

For example, Domino introduced its all-new Domino Cx350i, a high-resolution DOD case-coding system. The company touts the high resolution, integration of the no maintenance features of the DOD, and what it says is an intuitive control system. 

Graphic Solid Inks (GSI) made its PACK EXPO International Chicago-debut with its multi-color Colorize Inkjet Systems, featuring CMYK+White CIJ with UV cured inks. GSI combined NoLabel and Colorize Printing heads, with one control system, to be create  vivid, high-resolution printing plus bar codes on kraft corrugated. PW has covered this technology before, but I could see this having an impact specifically on cosmetics and beauty care.

Diagraph introduced its DOD ResMark 5000 high-resolution compact heads without ink hoses, featuring integrated control for up to eight heads, patented quick disconnect printer modules for easy swap, and localized wireless connectivity. Plus, the company claims to have the industry-leading ink throw distance up to 0.5-in.

Not to be outdone by inkjet coding, the laser coding market has also vastly upgraded itself in the years since I was at the last PACK EXPO International. Different UV wave lengths are offered, as well as powerful CO₂ options, so more substrates, including metal, can be clearly marked and read by scanning hardware and software. The etching envelope has also grown significantly. 

Videojet, for example, exhibited 60-Watt CO₂ Laser Marking System with an etching envelope of almost 4 sq ft, and with life of 45,000 hours, it can save a lot of ink.

Another key element in late-stage customization is the ability to handle (and print or code) primary packages rather than having to get them preprinted. This is very beneficial for short runs or promotional customization, both common in cosmetics and beauty care. The technological challenge is to have flexibility to handle a wide range of formats on the same equipment, with minimal or easy change overs.

HSAUSA introduced the VFS-1000 Vertical Feeding System that takes a unique approach to the way folding cartons, bags, and pouches are magazined and delivered to a conveyor. Stand-up folding cartons, pouches, and bags are standing on an edge, picked, and placed onto a shuttle table, then pushed on to the downstream conveyor, presumably for printing or labeling. It is a batch operation, but the replenishment of the blanks can be done without stopping the equipment. The VFS-1000 is part of a family of modules that can be put together to automatically handle, print (or label), inspect or reject and stack up finished parts. Sonoco Alloyd has been touting their EnviroSense PaperBlister package as a way to contribute to a brand’s sustainability profile.

A common retail cosmetics vector for late-stage-customization is blister packaging. Sonoco Alloyd introduced the Aergo line of blister sealing packaging equipment. The Aergo line features heat, fusion, and RF sealing technology. Plus, it uses servo motions rather than mechanical , thus enhancing de-nesting capabilities, and can be scaled up with additional options. The Aergo SSL 11 station servo-driven machine at the show had all the necessary stations to handle both plastic blister and EnviroSense PaperBlister, and featured Alloyd quick-change heat seal tooling. Sonoco Alloyd has been touting their EnviroSense PaperBlister package as a way to contribute to a brand’s sustainability profile.

Most cosmetics and beauty care containers are sourced from overseas. To maintain purity inside the container in the interval between making the container and filling it, some manufacturers opted to have the container delivered to their filling operation already pre-capped. This way, no dust or dirt can enter the container. To handle these pre-capped bottles, the filling equipment needs to remove the caps, put the caps on a shuttle system, fill the open containers, and re-cap/re-torque the containers. While this complicates the fillers, it does have one significant operational advantage and one quality advantage. There is no need  for unscramblig equipment and complicated set-up for changeovers, and there is no additional physical handling of the caps, further maintaining the original aesthetic of the caps without handling damage. Filamatic introduced an inline simplex filler (one filling nozzle) with this capability.

PKB has started to offer this un-capping, to fill, to re-capping feature as well. For instance, I saw a video at PKB booth of a high speed filler performing the un-capping and re-capping.

Many suppliers touted remote access for equipment troubleshooting, all through the internet, and many times using the smart phones as the access and communication tool.

NITA exhibited a wide range of its SENTIANT labelers, and the focus in its booth was all about uptime, seamless remote monitoring, and maintenance access via the internet (or cloud). NITA claims that their labelers are the easiest to maintain due to 100% license-free, non-proprietary electronics and software, all synchronized servos (no PLCs, etc.), live tech support via the internet, self-diagnosing software system with in-screen parts ordering, and built-in preventative maintenance.

Equipment innovations for tubes in the cosmetics market

Tubes are a common package format in the cosmetics, body, and hair care industry, often in multiple sizes and artwork decoration. So, how do you make manufacturing more efficient? Easy and fast changeovers is one answer.

Citus-Kalix, part of the COESIA Group, introduced its latest high-speed simplex (one filling nozzle) KX1103 EVO tube filler for plastic and metal, capable of producing at 110 tubes/min. The manufacturer calls the machine “the next generation,” primarily due to the quick changeover. The claim is 10 minutes [of changeover time] to start a new production run. The equipment accomplishes the fast changeover with automatic servo-driven adjustments where possible, format set-up data registered in recipe, dedicated change parts that can be easily swapped (no adjustments needed and preferably no tools), and now more and more, step by step instructions on the HMI.

Tubes for cosmetics and beauty care have been mostly sourced from China. Problems in the supply chain due to COVID-19 from China created a demand for new tube labeling equipment. Pendergraph Machines introduced its tube pre-labeler TL-60, which was integrated with to a Prosys RT60 tube filler. Left- and right-hand versions were available for pairing with multiple tube filler models. The machine features quick change spindle tooling with recipe-based programs that can label 5/8-in. diameter tubes up to 2.25-in. diameter and 3-in. to 8-in. long. The labeling machine, running up to 70 tubes/min, allows manufacturers to pre-label blank tubes, or over label decorated tubes, thus saving the need to order various artwork pre-decorated tubes. Plastic tubes and the labels can be recycled together.

Conveyors for cosmetics are also advancing

While some equipment trends that I saw at the show are pointing towards more linear servo or magnetic movers/shuttles, conveyors are still a cornerstone of most packaging lines. And no modern conveyor system is truly complete unless it can handle multiple products without jams or time-consuming changeovers. 

Advanced Manufacturing Technology is now providing adjustable rail systems (or the hardware used by others to upgrade their conveyors) based on calibrated, pneumatically energized / spring return piston actuators. A conveyor’s side rail positions can be set to an accuracy of 1 mm, simply by changing the air pressure. Settings can then be stored and recalled with the touch of a button. 

So conveyors are not going away, and we still need to unscramble components. Gentle unscrambling and transporting are key to safe handling of cosmetic products, where aesthetics are key.

Manufacturers of horizontal motion conveying systems grapple with how to minimize vertical “rubbing” movement and constant vibration between parts being transported in linear transport chutes. Several manufacturers displayed a new concept of oscillating chutes that did not create vertical vibration. A profiled movement back and forth (cam-driven linear motion) “pulls the rug” from under  the components that want to continue Several manufacturers displayed a new concept of oscillating chutes that did not create vertical vibration. A profiled movement back and forth (cam-driven linear motion) “pulls the rug” from under the components that want to continue moving forward due to the inertia imparted by the forward movement.moving forward due to the inertia imparted by the forward movement. Essentially, the backward movement is much faster than the forward movement. This can provide gentler means to move flat components, as well as powder. However, since all the manufacturers displaying these chutes at PACK EXPO focused on food products, none has attempted to explore the gentle handling of cosmetic componentry (highly subject to being damaged by rubbing against each other and against rails). Two examples I saw at the show: Heat and Control demonstrated its FastBack 4.0 Horizontal Motion Conveyor, and Layton Systems introduced its Rapid Return: Horizontal Motion Conveyor.

More generally speaking, I was thrilled to see so many advances exhibited and discussed at PACK EXPO International after my long hiatus, and the above are only the highlights that one traveler down the aisles of PACK EXPO was able to uncover. It can’t help but make you wonder what we’ll see next year in Las Vegas.