Production Steps Of Condoms
Quality control 1
All our suppliers must have a certified quality control System and we audits them at regular intervals. The supplied raw materials must comply with our specifications. Our goods receipt inspection of latex comprises the following parameters: viscosity, mechanical stability, coagulum content, total solids contact and temperature. Some of these tests are frequent during the compounding and maturing process. The test data are stored for a period equal to the lifetime of the condoms.
Latex compounding
All our suppliers must have a certified quality control System and we audits them at regular intervals. The supplied raw materials must comply with Our specifications. Our goods receipt inspection of latex comprises the following parameters: viscosity, mechanical stability, coagulum content, total solids contact and temperature. Some of these tests are frequent during the compounding and maturing process. The test data are stored for a period equal to the lifetime of the condoms.
Dipping
The process of condom manufacturing is called dipping, because it is performed by glass formers mounted on an endless chain dipping into liquid latex. The first dip being finished, the latex is dried, and the glass former enters a second dip tank. Afterwards, the latex film dries again, and the bead is made by means of a brush system. The glass former then moves into the vulcanization tunnel where it is heated to 115° C. When the glass former leaves the vulcanization tunnel, the latex film is tightly on the form. After this, the glass former came through a soaking tank, in which the latex film is loosened so that the condom can be stripped-off by means of brushes afterwards. The glass former is cleaned before the next production round is starting.
Washing, spin drying tumble drying
To avoid that the condoms stick together, they are powdered in industrial washing machines. After the powdering, the condoms are spin-dried and tumble-dried at 110° C to remove all the water and humidity as well as to continue the vulcanization.
Testing foiling
Each of the condoms is tested for small holes at the voltage of about 2.000 V. For that purpose, the condom is pulled over a metal mandrel moving in such a way as to get into contact with a conductive rubber. An intact condom is an isolator; in this case, no electrical current will be measured. Otherwise, if there is a hole in the condom, the electronics of the testing machine will measure an electronic current, and the condom will be rejected. The good condoms are conveyed to a foiling machine. During the foiling process, the batch number and the expiry date are printed onto the foil. The lubricant is applied on the condom while pincers pull the condom between the upper and lower foil before the foils are sealed together.
Quality control 2
Having tested and foiled each condom, we check the condoms for pinholes again on special laboratory equipment to make sure that all the pinholes were found in the previous manufacturing process. 20 samples are drawn from each of the machines once per hour and checked for pinholes, integrity of the foil, correct batch-no., correct expiry date and the correct amount of lubricant applied to the condom.
Consumer packing
The foiled condoms are put into the consumer boxes together with a leaflet. The batch number and the expiry date are printed onto the boxes. Depending on the batch size, a defined number of samples are drawn to check the quality of the batch in question. In most cases, the condoms are tested according to ISO 4074 or according to customer/country standards. Each of the condom batches has to pass these tests before it is released for shipment to our customers.
Quality control 3
After the foiled condoms are packed into consumer boxes, we check again the content of the boxes and if the batch-no. and the expiry date are printed correctly. We also carry out a visual inspection regarding the outward appearance of the boxes. The manufacturing process is now finished, and each condom batch we manufactured has to pass the test for the final release carried out by our laboratory personnel. The condoms will only then be released for shipment to the consumer.
Final product release
Every condom belongs to a batch that has been assigned a batch number prior to the start of the production process. Depending on the size of the batch, a defined number of samples have to be drawn to check the quality of the beach of condoms. The number of samples to be drawn is defined by all international quality standard. The condoms are mostly tested according to ISO 4074 or according to consumer/county specific standards. Each condom batch has to pass these tests before it is released for shipment to our customers.
Quality control 4
Now all tests described below are carried out for the final batch test. Furthermore, we retrieve a specific number of retaining samples from each batch and store them in our warehouse. 1-2 % of all condoms we manufacture are used for quality testing purposes and thus destroyed during process. A typical condom batch size out of a continuous production consists of 150.001 to 500.000 condoms. Out of this quantity the following samples are taken for testing at we according to the standards: 315 for pin hole test, 315 for burst volume and pressure test, 13 for dimension test as wall thickness, length and width, 32 for integrity test, 315 for visual inspection of the condoms, 13 for consumer packing & labelling test.
Production Steps Of Condoms
Quality control 1
All our suppliers must have a certified quality control System and we audits them at regular intervals. The supplied raw materials must comply with our specifications. Our goods receipt inspection of latex comprises the following parameters: viscosity, mechanical stability, coagulum content, total solids contact and temperature. Some of these tests are frequent during the compounding and maturing process. The test data are stored for a period equal to the lifetime of the condoms.
Latex compounding
All our suppliers must have a certified quality control System and we audits them at regular intervals. The supplied raw materials must comply with Our specifications. Our goods receipt inspection of latex comprises the following parameters: viscosity, mechanical stability, coagulum content, total solids contact and temperature. Some of these tests are frequent during the compounding and maturing process. The test data are stored for a period equal to the lifetime of the condoms.
Dipping
The process of condom manufacturing is called dipping, because it is performed by glass formers mounted on an endless chain dipping into liquid latex. The first dip being finished, the latex is dried, and the glass former enters a second dip tank. Afterwards, the latex film dries again, and the bead is made by means of a brush system. The glass former then moves into the vulcanization tunnel where it is heated to 115° C. When the glass former leaves the vulcanization tunnel, the latex film is tightly on the form. After this, the glass former came through a soaking tank, in which the latex film is loosened so that the condom can be stripped-off by means of brushes afterwards. The glass former is cleaned before the next production round is starting.
Washing, spin drying tumble drying
To avoid that the condoms stick together, they are powdered in industrial washing machines. After the powdering, the condoms are spin-dried and tumble-dried at 110° C to remove all the water and humidity as well as to continue the vulcanization.
Testing foiling
Each of the condoms is tested for small holes at the voltage of about 2.000 V. For that purpose, the condom is pulled over a metal mandrel moving in such a way as to get into contact with a conductive rubber. An intact condom is an isolator; in this case, no electrical current will be measured. Otherwise, if there is a hole in the condom, the electronics of the testing machine will measure an electronic current, and the condom will be rejected. The good condoms are conveyed to a foiling machine. During the foiling process, the batch number and the expiry date are printed onto the foil. The lubricant is applied on the condom while pincers pull the condom between the upper and lower foil before the foils are sealed together.
Quality control 2
Having tested and foiled each condom, we check the condoms for pinholes again on special laboratory equipment to make sure that all the pinholes were found in the previous manufacturing process. 20 samples are drawn from each of the machines once per hour and checked for pinholes, integrity of the foil, correct batch-no., correct expiry date and the correct amount of lubricant applied to the condom.
Consumer packing
The foiled condoms are put into the consumer boxes together with a leaflet. The batch number and the expiry date are printed onto the boxes. Depending on the batch size, a defined number of samples are drawn to check the quality of the batch in question. In most cases, the condoms are tested according to ISO 4074 or according to customer/country standards. Each of the condom batches has to pass these tests before it is released for shipment to our customers.
Quality control 3
After the foiled condoms are packed into consumer boxes, we check again the content of the boxes and if the batch-no. and the expiry date are printed correctly. We also carry out a visual inspection regarding the outward appearance of the boxes. The manufacturing process is now finished, and each condom batch we manufactured has to pass the test for the final release carried out by our laboratory personnel. The condoms will only then be released for shipment to the consumer.
Final product release
Every condom belongs to a batch that has been assigned a batch number prior to the start of the production process. Depending on the size of the batch, a defined number of samples have to be drawn to check the quality of the beach of condoms. The number of samples to be drawn is defined by all international quality standard. The condoms are mostly tested according to ISO 4074 or according to consumer/county specific standards. Each condom batch has to pass these tests before it is released for shipment to our customers.
Quality control 4
Now all tests described below are carried out for the final batch test. Furthermore, we retrieve a specific number of retaining samples from each batch and store them in our warehouse. 1-2 % of all condoms we manufacture are used for quality testing purposes and thus destroyed during process. A typical condom batch size out of a continuous production consists of 150.001 to 500.000 condoms. Out of this quantity the following samples are taken for testing at we according to the standards: 315 for pin hole test, 315 for burst volume and pressure test, 13 for dimension test as wall thickness, length and width, 32 for integrity test, 315 for visual inspection of the condoms, 13 for consumer packing & labelling test.
