Precise control strategy of temperature and humidity in the production process of silicone hip pads
Introduction
Silicone hip pads are favored in many fields such as medical care, elderly care, outdoor sports, etc. due to their excellent comfort, elasticity and durability. And its high-quality production is inseparable from the precise control of two key environmental factors: temperature and humidity. This article will deeply explore the key points and methods of temperature and humidity control in each link of the production process of silicone hip pads, helping manufacturers to create high-quality products and meet the strict requirements of international wholesale buyers.
1. Storage of raw materials for silicone hip pads
Temperature control: Silicone raw materials should usually be stored in an environment of 15℃-25℃. In this temperature range, the molecular structure of the raw materials is relatively stable, which can effectively avoid oxidation reactions caused by high temperature or hardening caused by low temperature. For example, if the temperature is higher than 30℃ for a long time, the silicone resin molecular chain inside the silicone raw material may break or change its structure, which will reduce the performance of the material and affect the quality of the hip pads produced later.
Humidity control: The storage humidity should be maintained between 30%-50%. Excessive humidity will increase the water absorption rate of silicone, resulting in the accumulation of microscopic water molecules inside the material, affecting its uniformity and performance. It is recommended to use sealed packaging bags to store raw materials, and place desiccant or use a dehumidifier in the warehouse to maintain a dry environment.
2. Rubber mixing of silicone hip pads
Temperature control: When mixing, the temperature generally needs to be controlled at around 40℃-60℃. Within this temperature range, silicone can soften and plasticize better, which is convenient for subsequent processing and molding. The heating device of the rubber mixer should have a precise temperature regulation function to ensure temperature stability.
Humidity control: Since the rubber mixing process mainly focuses on the change of the physical state of silicone, the relative humidity can be maintained at 30%-60%, avoiding excessively high or low humidity to adversely affect the rubber mixing equipment and personnel operation.
3. Molding of silicone hip pads
Temperature control: Common molding methods such as injection molding and compression molding have specific temperature requirements. Taking injection molding as an example, the injection molding machine needs to heat the silicone to around 120℃-200℃ to make it have good fluidity so as to evenly fill the mold cavity. In compression molding, the heating temperature of the mold is usually around 150℃-200℃. It is very important to accurately control the molding temperature. Too high a temperature may cause the silicone to solidify prematurely, affecting the molding effect of the product; too low a temperature will cause the silicone to have insufficient fluidity, resulting in defects such as bubbles and lack of glue inside the product.
Humidity control: The relative humidity in the molding workshop should be controlled at 30%-50%. Too high humidity will cause the silicone surface to absorb moisture, generate bubbles during high-temperature molding, and affect the appearance and performance of the product; while too low humidity may generate static electricity, absorb dust and other impurities, and affect the cleanliness of the product.
4. Vulcanization of silicone hip pads
Temperature control: Vulcanization is a key link in the production of silicone hip pads. Generally, the vulcanization temperature is around 140℃-180℃, and the specific temperature depends on the formula and performance requirements of the silicone. During the vulcanization process, the temperature must be strictly controlled in accordance with the process requirements to ensure that the silicone molecules can be fully cross-linked to form a stable three-dimensional network structure. For example, if a silicone hip pad that requires high elasticity and heat resistance is produced, the vulcanization temperature may need to be controlled at 160℃-170℃ and maintained for a certain period of time to ensure the quality of the product.
Humidity control: The relative humidity of the vulcanization workshop should be maintained at 30%-50%. Too high humidity will condense water vapor on the surface of the product, affecting the vulcanization effect; too low humidity may cause the surface of the product to dry too quickly, resulting in defects such as cracks.
5. Post-processing of silicone hip pads
Temperature control: After the silicone hip pads are vulcanized, they usually need to be trimmed, cleaned and other post-processing processes. During the trimming process, operations such as cutting and grinding may generate heat, causing the local temperature of the product to rise. Therefore, the workshop temperature should be maintained at around 20℃-30℃ to avoid damage to the product due to excessive temperature. During the cleaning process, the water temperature should not be too high, generally controlled at 30℃-50℃, so as not to damage the shape and performance of the product.
Humidity control: It is more appropriate to maintain the relative humidity of the post-processing workshop at 40%-60%. After cleaning, the silicone hip pad needs to be dried naturally in a well-ventilated environment, avoiding direct sunlight and high-temperature baking, otherwise it may cause product deformation, discoloration or performance degradation.
6. Key equipment and tools for temperature and humidity control
Temperature detection equipment: including temperature sensors, thermocouples, etc. These devices should be installed in key parts of the production site, such as raw material warehouses, rubber mixers, molding machines, vulcanizers, etc., to monitor and feedback temperature data in real time.
Temperature and humidity adjustment equipment: such as air-conditioning systems, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, electric heaters, etc., can adjust and control the temperature and humidity of the workshop according to production needs. For example, in the rainy season when the humidity is too high, a dehumidifier can be used to reduce the humidity of the workshop; in the winter when the temperature is lower, an electric heater can be used to increase the temperature of the workshop.
Automated control system: By installing an automated control system, precise control and automatic adjustment of temperature and humidity can be achieved. The system can be connected to temperature detection equipment and temperature and humidity adjustment equipment to monitor environmental parameters in real time, and automatically adjust the operating status of the equipment according to the preset process requirements to ensure that the temperature and humidity in the production process are always kept within the ideal range.
7. The impact of temperature and humidity control on the quality of silicone hip pads and actual cases
Performance improvement: Strict temperature and humidity control can make the physical properties of silicone hip pads such as resilience and tensile strength reach the best state. For example, after a manufacturer optimized the temperature and humidity of the molding and vulcanization links, the product resilience increased by 15% and the service life was extended by 20%.
Appearance improvement: During the injection molding process, stable temperature and humidity can effectively prevent surface defects of the product. For example, a company improved the surface smoothness of the silicone hip pad by 20% and reduced the defective rate by 10% by precisely controlling the molding temperature and workshop humidity.
8. How to establish a complete temperature and humidity management system
Develop standard operating procedures: According to the production process and quality requirements of silicone hip pads, formulate detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for temperature and humidity control, clarify the specific temperature and humidity ranges of each link, as well as the control methods and responsible persons.
Strengthen personnel training: Organize production personnel to participate in temperature and humidity control training courses to familiarize them with the use of temperature and humidity detection equipment, the operation of temperature and humidity adjustment equipment, and the handling methods of abnormal situations, to ensure that every employee can strictly follow the SOP.
Regular equipment maintenance: Develop equipment maintenance plans, regularly maintain and calibrate temperature detection equipment, temperature and humidity adjustment equipment, and automated control systems to ensure the normal operation and accuracy of the equipment. For example, calibrate temperature sensors every quarter and clean and maintain dehumidifiers every month.
Implement monitoring and recording: Establish a temperature and humidity monitoring system to record temperature and humidity data in the production process in real time, and perform data analysis and statistics. Through the analysis of historical data, potential problems in temperature and humidity control can be discovered in a timely manner, and corresponding improvement measures can be taken.
9. Frontier technologies and development trends of temperature and humidity control
Intelligent sensing technology: High-precision and high-sensitivity intelligent temperature and humidity sensors are constantly emerging, which can more accurately monitor temperature and humidity changes in the production environment in real time, and provide more reliable data support for precise control.
In-depth application of automated control technology: With the development of industrial automation, automated control systems will become more intelligent and integrated. In the future, the temperature and humidity control system will be seamlessly connected with other production equipment and process control systems to achieve fully automated and intelligent control of the entire silicone hip pad production process, and improve production efficiency and product quality stability.
Energy-saving temperature and humidity control equipment: In order to meet the requirements of environmental protection and energy saving, the research and development and application of energy-saving temperature and humidity control equipment will become a trend. For example, air-conditioning systems using new refrigerants, high-efficiency and energy-saving dehumidifiers, etc. can not only effectively control temperature and humidity, but also reduce energy consumption and production costs.
10. Conclusion
In the production process of silicone hip pads, the control of temperature and humidity runs through the whole process, which directly affects the quality, performance and appearance of the product. From the storage of raw materials to post-processing, precise temperature and humidity control measures need to be taken, and with the help of advanced equipment and tools, a sound management system should be established to ensure the high-quality production of silicone hip pads. With the continuous advancement of technology, we have reason to believe that the production of silicone hip pads in the future will achieve more efficient and higher-quality temperature and humidity control, meet the strict requirements of international wholesale buyers for product quality, and gain a broader development space in the global market….
Post time: May-12-2025