Aerosol generator

In the space of sixty years, the aerosol dispenser, originally designed to spray insecticide for American troops in the South Pacific islands, has enjoyed rapid growth in all areas of daily life, including personal care, home care, the automotive industry, pharmaceuticals, industry, food products and more. This success has been achieved through intensive research and development to better meet consumer needs, and excellent reliability (see 1 ).

Today's aerosol dispenser is a high-precision device, with parts manufactured to tolerances of just a few micrometers.

The worldwide aerosol market is worth around ten billion units. It represents four billion seven hundred million in Europe, including five hundred to six hundred million in France, where around ten to fifteen thousand people are involved in the production and marketing of aerosols, representing annual sales of around two billion euros.

Standard definitions of the various components of the aerosol dispenser are described, together with the most important guidelines relating to content. The operating principle, a brief description of the various constituent parts and the characteristics of materials and products, particularly for cans, bottles, valves, propellants and formulations, are also given. The operations involved in closing generators, either by stamping for metal housings, or by crimping for vials, are also covered. A section is devoted to quality controls and standards.