Aerosol containers are used in nearly every industry – from food and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics and many others. Effective, large-scale aerosol production is made possible through industrial filling processes and modern production technologies. So, what does the industrial aerosol manufacturing process look like in detail?

Advantages of Aerosols

Let’s start by looking at the key advantages that have made this type of packaging so popular worldwide and suitable for mass production.

First and foremost, aerosol containers allow for nearly 100% product usage. From an environmental perspective, this is highly sustainable, and from the consumer’s perspective – cost-effective. Aerosols are convenient and easy to use. Additionally, their hermetically sealed packaging ensures long shelf life.

Another important advantage is the mechanical durability of the container – cans can withstand very high pressure while remaining resistant to damage (e.g. being dropped). From the perspective of aerosol manufacturers and distributors, the lightweight nature of the packaging is a further benefit. Lower weight reduces storage and transportation costs.

Aerosol Production – Step by Step

The industrial production of aerosols consists of several stages. Let’s walk through each one.

Step 1 – Can Manufacturing

Aerosol production begins with the creation of the container. The process depends on the intended shape of the can. Aerosol containers are usually made of steel or aluminum and come in various sizes (typically from 35 to 750 ml).

The simplest to manufacture are one-piece and two-piece cans. One-piece cans, which are deep-drawn from a single sheet of metal, are also the most durable – they can withstand pressure up to 45 bars. Two-piece cans consist of a joined body and base with a separate top.

The most complex are three-piece cans. The process begins with decorating – coating the metal sheet with varnish and ink. The edges of the sheet are rolled and welded to form the can body. The top and bottom are pressed separately from pre-cut metal sheets and finally joined to the body using interlocking seams.

It’s important to note that can production is entirely separate from the rest of the process and typically takes place at a different facility. Only the ready, empty cans are delivered to aerosol filling plants.

Step 2 – Ball Dropping

The second step takes place in the filling plant. It starts with unloading cans onto a feeding table, from which they are transferred to the ball dropper – a device used mainly in the production of paints or technical products. The ball dropper inserts a specific number of mixing balls into each can. These balls help mix the product before use.

The ball dropper should be installed before or inside the automated filling module. Solmatic’s ball droppers can insert between 1 and 4 balls at a rate of 60 cycles per minute.

Step 3 – Product Filling, Valve Insertion & Crimping

The third step involves filling the cans with product, followed by valve insertion and crimping. Filling and crimping machines are core components of any aerosol filling line.

Using a filling module – which can be rotary, indexing, or linear – the liquid product is dosed into the can. The speed of the process depends on several factors: container size, fill volume, aerosol composition (e.g. alcohol-based products fill faster than oil-based ones), and the physical-chemical properties of the product (density, viscosity, foaming tendency).

The process generally follows this sequence: cans enter the machine, move through the filling station, valve placement and inspection station, and then the crimping station. Dose adjustment and working head height can be manual or automated. The number and type of filling heads depend on the line’s capacity, the nature of the product, and its volume.

After product filling, valves are inserted into the cans using valve inserters. The crimpers then seal the valve to the container, ensuring tightness and leak protection.

Step 4 – Gas Filling via Valve

The filled cans now move to the gas filling module. This step is critical to ensure safe propellant gas filling. Gas fillers are among the most important machines in the line. These are typically located in the Gas House and built with ATEX-compliant components for use in explosion-risk zones.

The cans are moved to workstations and filled with a pre-set dose of gas. The cans are guided under the gas heads using replaceable format sets matching each can diameter.

Step 5 – Leak and Weight Testing

Leak testing is an essential part of the aerosol production process. Since flammable gases are used, aerosol producers cannot afford to use unproven technologies. Testing can be done using an automatic test bath, leak detection sensors, or a laboratory test bath for small-scale production. (We’ve covered these solutions in another article on our blog.)

At this stage, weight control is also performed as part of quality control. Cans are inspected using an automatic checkweigher, which ensures that only correctly filled cans (both in substance and gas) proceed further down the line.

Step 6 – Spray Head and Cap Application

Next, the cans proceed to inserters. These machines are among the final elements in the production cycle and the first in the packaging cycle. Their job is to automate the placement of spray heads, caps, or protective lids.

Automating these tedious tasks not only relieves workers to focus on more value-added operations but also guarantees repeatability, leading to higher efficiency and reduced costs.

Step 7 – Packaging and Transport

The final stage in aerosol production is packaging and shipping. In less automated plants, cans are collected on a receiving table, where all packaging is done manually. In more automated facilities, the receiving table is skipped entirely – cans are sent directly to semi-automatic or fully automatic packaging systems.

Packaged cans are then moved on for distribution, which involves a separate logistics process.

Technological Lines – Efficient Aerosol Production

Technological lines built with reliable machines are the foundation of aerosol production. Proven, precisely engineered equipment not only increases efficiency and flexibility, but also reduces the number of operators required.

As a result, costs are reduced, profits increase, and employees can be reallocated to more strategic roles.

That’s the guiding mission behind Solmatic’s solutions – to build machines that help our customers produce faster, more efficiently, and with greater ease, for the benefit of both business and workers.

👉 Explore our full range of solutions for aerosol manufacturers.