Process

Slug Extrusion

The manufacturing process of an aluminium collapsible tube starts with the extrusion of an aluminium slug previously lubricated in order to enable the aluminium to flow during the extrusion process.  This involves subjecting the slug to immense pressure, as a result of which it gets moulded into a tube.

Trimming

Trimming is the next process, which involves threading, shaving and trimming of the mouth and shoulder of the tube.

Annealing

In the annealing oven the tube becomes more flexible and malleable; at the same time, the heat is able to eliminate any extrusion lubricant from the surface of the tube. The tube is now ready to pass through the internal lacquering machine.

Internal Lacquering

This process applies an internal coating, thus enabling the tube to be safely filled with practically any kind of product.

Printing Process

The base coating machine applies the external base enamel, coating the outside surface of the tube thus allowing the ink to be applied during the following steps. The coated tube then comes to the printing unit where it is processed in order to get the final off-set decoration on its outer surface. Each of the previous two operations is followed by curing of the applied products (base coating, inks).

Finishing Process

The capping machine screws the cap on the tube and then the tube is moved by a conveyor to the latexing machine that applies the latex ring onto the tube end, guaranteeing sealed conditions once filled. The tube, coming from the latexing machine, is then transported by means of a belt conveyor to the front of the cardboard boxes. A relative sensor counts the passing tubes and controls their introduction into a box, row by row, until the box is completely filled. The tubes are automatically packed into a cardboard box ready for quality inspection and delivery.