Source of Raw Materials for Latex Gloves
The raw material of latex gloves is 100% natural, so where does latex come from?
In general, latex comes from the milky SAP of the rubber tree, which is directed through the thin bark of the rubber tree to a spout and then transported into containers. These operations are generally selected in the early morning because the temperature is low at this time. When the temperature is too high, the SAP coagulates quickly, reducing the flow of the latex stock.
One tree can usually fill a gallon bucket. By the next day, the tree was ready to extract its SAP. The juice extracted from the latex is mixed with processing chemicals, including sulfur, zinc oxide, accelerants, pigments, stabilizers, strippers, and antioxidants, and the latex matures for 24 to 36 hours to become a latex compound that can be impregnated.
Latex Rubber Gloves Manufacturing Process
Latex gloves are widely used in production and life because of their special material advantages. The production of latex gloves is the process of converting a liquid into a solid, that is, the latex concentrate is mixed with chemicals and impregnated with the glove former to form the shape of a latex glove. The production process of latex gloves is as follows:
1. Make sure the glove former is clean before dipping into the glove raw material jar. The Fengwang glove former cleaning system has been professionally researched and designed to ensure the removal of any remaining chemicals on the glove former.
2. The Glove former was immersed in coagulant. This is so the latex stock will solidify evenly and smoothly on the glove former. In addition, the liquid includes a glove release agent that helps remove the finished glove from the glove former for subsequent packaging.
3. After the coagulant solution on the Glove former has dried in the oven, dip it into the latex glove raw material tank. The latex liquid forms a film on the glove former, which is the prototype of the latex glove.
4. The glove former is then dried in an oven and dipped in a hot sink to remove allergenic proteins, salts, and other chemicals from the glove surface. It also helps solidify gloves and increase their shelf life.
5. For the glove to be fully formed, the glove former needs to be baked for 20 minutes in a long, high temperature oven. The purpose of this is to make the gloves strong and flexible.
6. The cured gloves are powdered with cornstarch. Cornstarch is a lightweight, natural, hygroscopic powder that has antibacterial and skin-soothing properties, unlike other chemically formulated powders that irritate your skin.
7. After this process, the gloves are blown off by air, or the gloves are automatically removed. Gloves are collected by a special person and sent offline to roll.
8. Remove powder
Gloves are rolled in a large hot wash dryer to remove excess powder. The high temperature further solidifies the gloves, making them suitable for use.
9. Packing
Gloves are measured by weight and packed in boxes awaiting shipment.
10. Quality Assurance inspection Thorough inspection of gloves for defects by visual and watertight inspection as requested by AOL. Only after passing these tests and meeting the inspection standards will the gloves be approved for shipment to the customer.
Latex glove manufacturing machine video
Glove Quality inspection – Watertight Test System
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets standard requirements for glove quality. Fengwang produces a watertight test system for glove quality inspection. The cuff of the glove is fixed at the water outlet of the water-tight test system, and the glove is checked for leakage.
A uniform percentage is specified to evaluate a batch of gloves according to the guidelines for Acceptable Quality Limits (AQL). An AQL of 2.5% means that only 2.5 out of every 100 gloves are disqualified. If the number of substandard gloves in a lot exceeds the percentage of the total lot, all gloves in that lot are substandard. The results of these tests determine whether the gloves are industrial or medical grade, and medical grade gloves are subject to more rigorous testing.
Once the test results meet the customer’s requirements, it is packed and waiting for delivery.