Aluminum Cosmetic Tube Printing Techniques and Custom Dimensions

Among ALL metal material tubes, aluminum cosmetic tubes are known for their high strength, attractive appearance, lightweight, non-toxic, and odorless properties. Printing on metal tubes involves surface printing, using copper plates and photosensitive resin plates for the printing plates, employing letterpress printing technology. Aluminum cosmetic tubes mainly refer to aluminum tubes, which undergo thermal stamping and annealing before entering the printing process.

Characteristics of Metal Tubes

These aluminum collapsible tubes are convenient for dispensing due to the paste's viscosity, adhesion, and deformability. They ensure complete sealing and effectively isolate external light sources, air, moisture, and preserve fragrance. Aluminum squeeze tube materials are easy to process, efficient in production, enable rapid and accurate product packaging, and are cost-effective, making them highly favored by consumers. Currently, metal tubes are classified into three types based on their material:

1. Tin tubes: expensive and rarely used, except for specific pharmaceutical products2. Lead tubes: toxic to humans and therefore less used, primarily in fluorine-containing products.

2. Lead tubes: toxic to humans and therefore less used, primarily in fluorine-containing products.

3. Aluminum colllapsible tubes: known for their high strength, attractive appearance, lightweight, non-toxic, and odorless properties, and are cost-effective. They are widely used in packaging for cosmetics, premium toothpaste, pharmaceuticals, food, household products, paints, etc.

Manufacturing Process of Aluminum Squeeze Tubes involves stamping aluminum sheets into cylindrical tube bodies, followed by processing such as tooth cutting at the head and tail before printing. The entire process from tube stamping, inner coating, bottom coating, printing, to cap sealing is completed on an automated production line.

Printing Techniques for Aluminum Metal Tubes:

1. Applying base oil: Unlike cosmetic P tubes or aluminum-plastic tubes, aluminum tubes require a base oil for printing. A white primer is used for the base coat, applied thickly to achieve a smooth surface. Depending on the desired effect, different colored bases like pink or light blue can be used.

2. Drying the base coat: The base oil must be baked in a high-temperature oven to ensure the tubes do not yellow after drying. A slight tackiness on the surface is desirable.

3. Printing patterns and text: Tube graphics are typically screen-printed, with multi-color overprinting in one rotation of the tube. The rotating plate on the core shaft holds the tubes stationary while the rubber cylinder rotates and frictionally transfers the print.

4. Drying after printing: Printed tubes must pass through a drying oven to cure the ink. The drying temperature and time are chosen based on the ink's oxidative resistance.

Determining the Dimensions of Aluminum-Plastic Cosmetic Tubes

When designing and customizing cosmetic tubes, various factors must be considered, as different tube sizes correspond to different product capacities. Therefore, the appropriate size parameters are determined based on the chosen tube material and requirements. Before conducting trial filling to verify the dimensions, how should the dimensions be determined?

Determining Size Based on Required Capacity

Taking the commonly used aluminum-plastic laminated tube as an example, determining the size involves first considering the capacity requirements, often referencing standard size charts for everyday cosmetic products. When determining the size of aluminum-plastic laminated tubes, product density must also be considered. If the product inside the tube has a specific density, adjustments to the tube size may be necessary to meet requirements by increasing or decreasing tube dimensions or adjusting the length of the tube body as per requirements.

Considering Size Requirements Based on Diameter

Because cosmetic tubes nowadays not only require specific capacities but also demand increased attention to appearance, many cosmetic brands customize specific tube diameters to showcase style and personality. In such cases, adjustments to tube dimensions are made to ensure they do not affect capacity while meeting aesthetic demands. The advantage of all-plastic composite tubes lies in their diverse color options and greater moldability, allowing designers more creative freedom to adjust dimensions to achieve the desired tube capacity while meeting aesthetic design requirements.

In conclusion, for commonly used cosmetic products, standard size charts can directly determine cosmetic tube dimensions. However, for products with special density or specific aesthetic requirements, adjustments and designs should be made as needed to ensure both the appearance and capacity requirements of cosmetic tubes are met effectively.