Latex Manufacturing Process
- All latex balloons are made using a balloon "form" that is first washed with high-pressure hot water.
- The form then goes into a preheated oven to heat forms.
- The form is then dipped into calcium nitrate to put a coating on the form to help with the stripping process. This is the white powder found on the inside of latex balloons.
- Then the form is dried in an oven, and once dried, it is then dipped into latex.
- The form then runs through the rolling station to roll up the neck.
- Each form goes into a leach tank of hot water to remove residuals of calcium nitrate and give the balloon a pre-cure.
- The form is then cured in an oven to complete vulcanization* occurs to give the balloon its physical properties.
- The form is then dipped into a slurry which coats the external part of the balloon with anti-tack material to prevent the balloons from sticking together and to assist in the stripping of the balloon.
- The balloon is then stripped off the form and placed into a tumbler machine where they are sprayed with a cleaning solution.
- Now the manufacturing process is done and latex is ready to be packaged and sold.
*Vulcanization is a chemical process in which the rubber is heated with sulfur, accelerator, and activator at 140–160°C.
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©05.17.22J
