Comments

• Perry Administrator, Professional Chemist

  November 2015

  @chemicalmatt - Any ideas for this?

  Learn to formulate cosmetics
• Bobzchemist Member, PCF student

  November 2015

  OK, this is a tricky subject.

  
  

  There are two or three ways to achieve a lab press setup. Which you choose depends greatly on how much money you have to spend, and also on what you are trying to do with it. 

  
  

  If you just want something basic, so that you can produce small numbers of prototypes to show to marketing/customers/contract manufacturers, then you can get a simple manual press, like one of these:
  

  http://www.carverpress.com/3850.html

  
  

  The drawback here is that you will produce pressed powders under conditions that do not mimic any kind of automatic production machinery at all. Also, very slow process (but extremely safe)
  

  
  

  Robert Zonis, Sr. Formulation Chemist, Beaumont Products "All opinions and comments expressed are my own, have no relation to Beaumont Products, are fully copyrighted, and may not be used without written permission."
• Bobzchemist Member, PCF student

  November 2015

  Next step up is to get a semi-automatic press. This is a much bigger investment, but it will also produce much nicer finished products, and more of them. Keep in mind that many of these cost more than a new car - not a decision to be taken lightly.

  
  

  The catch here is that at this level, you should be getting something that can simulate the way your powders will be pressed in production. Since I don't know what  that would be, I can only post some resources.

  
  

  New:

  http://www.carverpress.com/benchtop_auto_standard.html
  

  http://www.vetraco.com/vetraco-expertise-cosmetic-powders_dry_mono_lab.asp
  

  http://www.kemwall.co.uk/html/gb_powders.htm
  

  http://www.eugeng.com/machines/show/55.aspx
  

  http://www.cosmetics.lorenzato.com/lm5-pressing-machine/
  

  
  

  Used (Can be modified for lab work by removing some of the equipment)

  http://www.fraingroup.com/products/carver-press-mechanical-mcp-1-color-cosmetic-powder-press/
  

  http://www.fraingroup.com/products/kemwall-press-mark-iv-1-color-cosmetic-powder-press-2/
  

  Robert Zonis, Sr. Formulation Chemist, Beaumont Products "All opinions and comments expressed are my own, have no relation to Beaumont Products, are fully copyrighted, and may not be used without written permission."
• Candace Member

  December 2015

  We have a Cavalla mid-range powder press.

  http://www.cavalla.com/

  
  

  It has worked very well for us over the years.  We can press around 80 pans an hour. 

  
  

  We purchased it used from Champion Trading. 

  http://www.champtrading.com/

  
  

  @Bobzchemist is right.  New or used, it will cost as much as a car.