How to Choose Aerosol Can Packaging? Core Selection Criteria

Choosing the right aerosol can packaging is crucial to product quality, user experience, and market competitiveness. The selection should be based on the characteristics of the contents, application scenarios, market positioning, and relevant regulatory requirements. Below are the core selection criteria and practical suggestions:

The material of the aerosol can directly affects its compatibility with the contents, safety, and cost. The two mainstream materials in the industry are iron and aluminum, each with distinct characteristics:

• Iron aerosol cans (tinplate): Advantages include cost-effectiveness, high pressure resistance, and good formability. They are suitable for daily chemical products (such as insect repellents, cleaning agents) and industrial products (such as rust inhibitors, release agents) with no special corrosion requirements. Note: They are not suitable for acidic or alkaline contents, as they may cause rust.
• Aluminum aerosol cans: Advantages include lightweight, excellent corrosion resistance, and high-quality surface finish (suitable for high-end printing). They are ideal for high-end daily chemicals (sunscreen sprays, styling sprays), food (whipped cream, spray cheese), and pharmaceuticals (asthma aerosols). Although the cost is higher than iron cans, they can enhance the product's premium image. They are compatible with most acidic, alkaline, and solvent-based contents.

Selection tip: For food and pharmaceutical products with strict safety and corrosion resistance requirements, prioritize aluminum cans; for cost-sensitive daily chemical and industrial products with neutral contents, iron cans are a more economical choice.

The valve is the "control core" of the aerosol can, and its type directly determines the spraying method and precision. The key is to match it with the product's usage requirements:

• Metering valves: Each spray volume is fixed (error ≤5%, even up to ≤3% for pharmaceutical grade), suitable for products that require precise dosing, such as pharmaceutical aerosols (asthma sprays, nasal sprays), cosmetic serums, and precision industrial coatings. Note: The cost is higher than continuous valves, and they need to be customized according to the required dosage.
• Continuous valves: Can spray continuously, with adjustable spray volume, suitable for products that do not require strict dosing, such as daily chemical sprays (air fresheners, sunscreen sprays), cleaning agents, and industrial paints. Advantages include low cost and wide applicability.

Additional consideration: For products that need to prevent accidental triggering (such as household insecticides, pharmaceutical sprays), choose valves with child-resistant caps (CRC) to meet safety regulations.

The nozzle determines the spraying form (mist, stream, foam) and affects user experience. It should be selected based on the product's application scenarios and usage needs:

• Fine mist nozzles: Spray particle size 50-100μm, with uniform atomization, suitable for products that require wide and uniform coverage, such as sunscreen sprays, air fresheners, and disinfectant sprays.
• Stream nozzles: Spray in a concentrated column, suitable for products that require targeted spraying, such as kitchen cleaning agents (for oil stains on stoves), industrial rust inhibitors (for small parts), and spot removers.
• Foam nozzles: Produce dense foam, which adheres well to the surface, suitable for shaving foam, facial cleansers, and foam-type cleaning agents.

Selection tip: For high-end cosmetic products, choose nozzles with adjustable spray intensity to improve user experience; for industrial products, prioritize wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant nozzles (such as stainless steel nozzles) to adapt to harsh working environments.

Propellants are the "power source" of aerosol cans, and their selection must balance environmental protection, safety, and compatibility with the contents. Traditional fluorine-containing propellants (CFCs) have been phased out due to environmental issues, and the current mainstream is environmentally friendly propellants:

• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): A mixture of propane and butane, with good volatility and low cost, suitable for most daily chemical products (styling sprays, insect repellents) and some food products. Note: It is flammable, so safety testing (such as flash point testing) is required.
• Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Non-toxic, non-flammable, and environmentally friendly, suitable for food (whipped cream, spray sauces) and pharmaceutical products. Advantages include high safety and compliance with food contact standards; disadvantage is higher cost.
• Dimethyl Ether (DME): Strong solubility, suitable for paste-like or high-viscosity contents (such as hair mousse, grease removers). It can also be mixed with LPG to improve solubility.

Key reminder: Ensure the propellant complies with local environmental regulations, such as EU REACH, China's GB 2760 (for food contact), and FDA requirements (for US market), to avoid regulatory risks.

Aerosol cans are classified into low pressure (≤0.8MPa), medium pressure (0.8-1.2MPa), and high pressure (>1.2MPa) based on pressure. The pressure grade should be matched with the contents and propellant:

• Low-pressure cans: Suitable for water-based contents (such as water-based disinfectants) and low-volatility propellants, with high safety, suitable for household and food products.
• Medium/high-pressure cans: Suitable for solvent-based contents (such as industrial paints, degreasers) and high-volatility propellants, which require higher pressure to ensure spraying effect. Note: High-pressure cans have stricter requirements on the can body's pressure resistance and need to pass burst testing.

Customization of aerosol cans can enhance brand differentiation and market competitiveness, and should be determined based on market positioning:

• Appearance customization: High-end products can use eight-color offset printing, film coating, or hot stamping to improve the visual effect; special-shaped cans (non-circular) can be used to distinguish them from competitors, but note that the cost will increase and the production cycle will be longer.
• Functional customization: For products requiring long-term storage, choose cans with enhanced sealing (such as double-sealing rings); for recyclable positioning, choose aluminum cans with high recycling rates; for pharmaceutical products, add anti-counterfeiting marks (such as QR codes, laser marks) on the can body.

The quality of aerosol can packaging is closely related to the supplier's strength. When selecting, focus on the following points:

• Qualifications: Check whether the supplier has relevant certifications, such as ISO9001 quality management system certification, GMP certification (for pharmaceutical packaging), and food contact material safety certification (GB 4806 for China, FDA for the US).
• Quality control: Understand whether the supplier has complete testing equipment (pressure resistance testing, leakage testing, burst testing) and a strict quality inspection process to ensure stable product quality.
• Production capacity and after-sales service: Ensure the supplier can meet the order volume and delivery cycle requirements; check whether there is a perfect after-sales service system to solve problems such as quality disputes in a timely manner.

Choosing the right aerosol can packaging requires a comprehensive consideration of the contents' characteristics, application scenarios, regulatory requirements, market positioning, and supplier capabilities. From material selection, valve and nozzle matching, to propellant compliance and customization design, every link is closely related to product quality and market performance. By following the above selection criteria and combining practical needs, you can select the most suitable aerosol can packaging solution to enhance product competitiveness.