Key Equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank
This document describes the process flow and equipment configuration of the lipstick (color cosmetics) production line, focusing on the line layout built around the core mixing equipment — the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank.
Lipstick-type cosmetics are stick-shaped beauty products (such as lipsticks, lip rouges and liquid lipsticks) made mainly from oils, waxes, pigments (colorants) and functional additives through heating & melting, mixing, homogenization and melt-casting. The core process is to fully melt, mix and homogenize the oil phase, wax phase and pigments in the jacketed equipment, so that the pigments are uniformly dispersed and a fine, uniform paste is formed. The mixing and melt-casting steps directly determine the texture, color uniformity and molding quality of the lipstick, and are the key links of the whole production line.
By material flow, the lipstick (color cosmetics) production line is divided into four functional zones — pretreatment, blending, molding, and filling & packaging — organized around the core mixing equipment (Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank):
| Functional Zone | Main Processes | Main Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretreatment zone | Raw material inspection, weighing & batching | Electronic scales, batching containers, filtration equipment | Inspect and weigh raw materials such as oils, waxes and pigments |
| Blending zone (core) | Melting & mixing, homogenization, defoaming | Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank | Melt, mix, homogenize and vacuum-degas the oils, waxes and pigments in the jacketed mixing tank |
| Molding zone | Grinding & homogenization, melt-casting, cooling, demolding | Grinder/three-roll mill, casting & molding machine, cooling device | Pigment dispersion, casting & molding, cooling & setting, demolding and inserting |
| Filling & packaging zone | Inspection, filling, packaging, finished product inspection | Filling machine, packaging machine, coding equipment | Appearance inspection, filling & inserting, packaging and labeling; inspect finished products before warehousing |
Materials flow sequentially from the pretreatment zone into the blending zone, molding zone and filling & packaging zone, forming a continuous, closed and traceable production flow.
The typical process flow of lipstick (color cosmetics) is: raw material inspection → weighing & batching → melting & mixing (vacuum emulsifier/mixing tank) → grinding & homogenization → melt-casting → cooling → demolding/inserting → inspection, filling & packaging → finished product inspection & warehousing. Each step is described as follows:
| No. | Process Step | Step Description | Key Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raw material inspection | Inspect raw materials such as oils, waxes and pigments; store them for later use after they pass | — |
| 2 | Weighing & batching | Accurately weigh oils, waxes, pigments and functional additives according to the formula | Accurate proportioning |
| 3 | Melting & mixing | Charge the oils, waxes and pigments into the vacuum emulsifier/mixing tank; heat to melt, mix and homogenize thoroughly, and vacuum-degas | Mixing ★ (core) |
| 4 | Grinding & homogenization | Fully disperse the pigments through the grinder so that the paste is fine and uniform | Dispersion degree |
| 5 | Melt-casting | Pour the molten paste into lipstick molds; cool and set to shape | Melt-casting ★ |
| 6 | Cooling | Cool in the molds so that the paste solidifies and sets | Cooling speed |
| 7 | Demolding/inserting | Demold and insert into the lipstick tube seats; assemble to finished form | — |
| 8 | Inspection, filling & packaging | Conduct appearance and other inspections; fill, insert and package with labeling | Pass/fail judgment |
| 9 | Finished product inspection & warehousing | Inspect finished products against standards; warehouse them after they pass | Pass/fail judgment |
Note: The steps marked with ★ in the table (mixing and melt-casting) are key process control points, among which mixing is the core control link of the whole production process.
The Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank is the core equipment of the lipstick (color cosmetics) production line. Its main body is a mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket, integrated with a vacuum system, a homogenizing emulsifying head and a wall-scraping stirring device, combining heating & melting, mixing, homogenization, defoaming and other functions in one unit, ensuring the oils, waxes and pigments are fully mixed and uniformly dispersed.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Function | Heating & melting of oils, waxes, pigments and additives, mixing, homogenization and vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines the texture and color uniformity of the lipstick |
| Main structure | Mixing tank with a heating/cooling jacket; steam or heat-transfer medium circulates in the jacket for temperature control |
| Stirring system | A central paddle works with a wall-scraping paddle to ensure thorough mixing and prevent wall sticking |
| Homogenizing system | A high-speed homogenizing emulsifying head achieves micro-level shear refining and uniform dispersion of pigments in the paste |
| Vacuum system | The tank is evacuated to remove air and reduce oxidation, improving the fineness and gloss of the paste |
| Temperature control | Heating for melting and cooling through the jacket, combined with temperature sensors for precise process temperature control |
| Advantages | Closed operation, high melting & mixing efficiency, uniform pigment dispersion, stable product quality, easy cleaning (CIP) |
In the production line, the Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank receives the oils, waxes and pigments from weighing & batching and completes melting & mixing under heating, vacuum and high-speed homogenization, producing a fine and uniform molten paste, which then passes through grinding & homogenization and melt-casting into the subsequent molding and filling & packaging processes.
Step 4 · Grinding & homogenizationCore Equipment
Heating & melting of oils, waxes, pigments and additives, mixing, homogenization and vacuum defoaming — the key process that determines the texture and color uniformity of the lipstick
Vacuum Emulsifier Mixing Tank |
|
Step 6 · Cooling
Cool in the molds so that the paste solidifies and sets
Lipstick Cooling Machine
Step 8 · Inspection, filling & packaging
Conduct appearance and other inspections; fill, insert and package with labeling
Cartoning Machine
Supporting Equipment
Oil & Water Phase Pots |
Rotary Lobe Pump |
The figure below shows the production process flow of lipstick (color cosmetics). The core equipment highlighted in orange, the “Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank”, sits at the melting & mixing step after weighing & batching, and is the key equipment of the whole line; the key control point “melt-casting” is also marked.
Figure: Process flow of lipstick (color cosmetics) (★ key equipment: Vacuum Emulsifier / (Jacketed) Mixing Tank; labeled in both Chinese and English)
