The processing of silicone insoles combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. The core steps include raw material preparation, mold making, silicone molding and post-processing. Different process paths differ in details, but they all revolve around the characteristics of silicone materials. The following is a detailed introduction to the processing of silicone insoles from the perspective of combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology:
1. Raw material preparation and pretreatment
The raw material of silicone insoles is mainly liquid silicone, which is usually composed of two components A and B, and needs to be mixed in a specific proportion. For example, in some processes, components A and B are mixed in a weight ratio of 1:1, and an electronic scale is used to ensure accuracy. After mixing, it needs to be fully stirred to avoid performance differences caused by uneven curing. The stirred silicone needs to be vacuum degassed, and the vacuum machine is used to vacuum for about 30 minutes to eliminate bubbles in the raw materials and prevent holes or internal defects on the surface of the insole after molding.
2. Mold making and preparation
The mold is a key tool for silicone insole molding, and its production methods are diverse. In traditional processes, molds may be made by hand carving or machining, while modern technologies are more likely to use 3D printing or digital reverse modeling. For example, after collecting 3D data of the sole of the foot through a photographing instrument and extracting the foot data through an analysis system, a customized insole model is designed using 3D printing insole design software, and then an insole mold model is made through digital reverse modeling, and finally the mold is printed out through a 3D printer. After the mold is made, a release agent (such as detergent) needs to be applied to the mold for subsequent demolding operations.
3. Silicone molding process
Silicone molding is the core link of the processing process. Common methods include casting molding and injection molding:
Casting molding: Slowly pour the degassed silicone into the mold to ensure that the silicone fully fills every corner of the mold. In some processes, the casting process may be carried out in steps, such as pouring half of the silicone first, putting in a blue or green gasket (used to increase the layering or functionality of the insole), and then pouring the other half of the silicone. After casting, the silicone needs to be cured and formed at a specific temperature. The curing time at room temperature may be 2-12 hours, while heating curing (such as 80-120℃) can be completed within tens of minutes, significantly improving production efficiency.
Injection molding: suitable for large-scale production. The AB components of liquid silicone are injected into the barrel separately through the AB glue filling machine, and then the injection volume is controlled to inject the silicone into the mold. Injection molding has the characteristics of high precision and high production efficiency, but the equipment cost is relatively high.
4. Post-processing and quality inspection
After the silicone is cured and formed, post-processing operations such as demoulding and trimming the cape are required. Be careful when demoulding to avoid damaging the surface or edge of the insole. Trimming the cape is to remove the excess silicone material on the edge of the insole to make it look neater. In some processes, the insole also needs to be cooled and shaped. For example, a cooling system that combines a heat-conducting copper frame with a liquid refrigerant can be used to achieve rapid molding of the casting solution and improve production efficiency. The quality inspection process includes appearance inspection, size measurement, performance testing, etc. to ensure that the insole meets the design requirements and usage standards.