From precise scales to innovative software: how to optimize your processes. Cosmetics production at the highest level
The cosmetics industry requires maximum precision and quality control throughout the manufacturing of products to ensure demanding standards are met and profits can be maximized. As a leading manufacturer of weighing and weighing-software technologies, Minebea Intec is the ideal partner for manufacturers throughout the industry. This article highlights the benefits of us-ing the Signum® high precision scale, the Maxxis 5 weighing controller and the ProRecipe XT® software application in the manufacturing process of cosmetic products.
In the dazzling world of cosmetics, where the right shade of lipstick or the perfect consistency of a skin cream can make the difference between the success and failure of a product, the accuracy of the dosing process is crucial. Using too much or too little of certain ingredients leads to inaccurate results in color tests, viscosity measurements, emulsification tests, microbial tests, pH value analyses and odor tests. This in turn forces manufacturers to make time consuming and costly post-test adjustments which can sometimes result in high volume waste. But what if there was a solution that not only increased the accuracy of pre-weighing but also improved ef-ficiencies like minimizing the number of necessary readjustments? The combined answer is the high-precision Signum® bench scale, Maxxis 5 weight controller and ProRecipe XT® software from Minebea Intec.
Intelligent formulation with ProRecipe XT® for safe and efficient processes
During the pre-weigh process, cosmetics manufacturers often find inaccuracies with their inventory of raw materials due to waste or spillage. If there is a lack of ingredients, Material Managers can of-ten by left waiting for new product to arrive before production can begin leading to orders being late. ProRecipe XT® has the ability to track the ingredients source for specific products therefore keeping more accurate information about usage and availability. Once raw materials are moved through to the production process, the need to document ingredient usage for both FDA and cus-tomer compliance is even greater. ProRecipe XT® once again pro-vides the robust audit trail required by cosmetics manufacturers.
A highly accurate and well-documented formulation is crucial for product quality and efficiency in many manufacturing processes. Companies in the cosmetics industry sometimes work with valua-ble raw materials. Here, untested mixing processes can affect products or entire product batches due to over, under or incorrect dosing and render them unusable for sale. In order to accurately document and track the consumption of these raw materials, the use of a highly accurate and reliable weighing-solutions is crucial for the entire formulation process.
ProRecipe XT® software from Minebea Intec offers a recipe man-agement and weighing system that records all process-relevant data from the weighing process. ProRecipe XT® is an advanced recipe management system that is used not only in the cosmetics industry but also in the food and pharmaceutical industries. "The benefits for cosmetics producers are considerable," says Lars-Henrik Bierwirth, Product Manager Software & Checkweighing at Minebea Intec. "The user-friendly interface guides you step by step through the formulation process, minimises operating errors and saves time." ProRecipe XT® is optimized for touchscreens and can be used both with PCs and via the Maxxis 5 weighing controller from Minebea Intec.
ProRecipe XT® also has an optional interface to the manufacturer's ERP/MES system. This allows different data to be exchanged au-tomatically between the systems. This means that duplicate data maintenance can be avoided and work processes can be auto-mated and standardized. With ProRecipe XT®, cosmetics manu-facturers benefit from maximum recipe reliability and greater effi-ciency in their production processes.
Bench scale Signum® : Precision and user-friendliness
The highly accurate Signum® industrial scale impresses with its short measuring times, flexibility and safety. It meets the demand-ing cleaning requirements in cosmetics production with a robust design. Models are available in Supreme, Advanced or Regular versions, depending on the level of precision and capacity re-quired. Cosmetics manufacturers can also choose from a variety of configurations. "We are happy to advise our customers on the se-lection of different material versions, load ranges and readabilities to fulfill specific requirements," says Eren Sagdas, Product Man-ager Industrial Scales at Minebea Intec.
Maxxis 5: Versatility and seamless integration
In order to utilize the highly precise weight values efficiently in the production processes, the weight values must be forwarded to the production control system. The Maxxis 5 weighing controller dis-plays and transmits these weight values so that action can be taken (i.e. opening or closing of valves) to control and automate the dosing process when the fill level is reached. "Our innovative weighing controller is suitable for a wide range of applications - from multi-component dosing to single-component filling" says Yannick Salzmann, Product Manager Process & Weighing Products at Minebea Intec. "A wide range of interface options make it com-patible with almost any weighing solution - either freely pro-grammed or supported by customized software applications such as ProRecipe XT®."
Products, advice and service from a single source
In addition to the products mentioned, Minebea Intec also provides a variety of load cells which can be used for tank or vessel weighing where large volumes of product are stored. The company also pro-vides comprehensive consulting and support services. This holistic approach has led to increased efficiencies and product quality for cosmetics companies across the globe. Well known brands such as L’ Oreal have chosen to work with Minebea Intec based on the wide range of solutions they offer the cosmetics industry.
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