Customer Service
Feb 20
Silicone Rubber
Here are the general steps to use skin silicone and silica gel for making silicone suture pads:
1. Prepare materials and tools
• Materials: Skin silicone and silica gel (usually two-component platinum cure silicone rubber), pigments if needed to adjust color, plywood board, vinyl fabric, power mesh fabric, mixing cups, stir sticks, binder clips, hot melt glue, scissors, etc.
• Tools: Vacuum equipment for degassing, brush, etc.
2. Create the working surface
• Prepare the board: Cut an 8-inch (20 cm) square plywood board to use as the base.
• Attach the vinyl fabric: Place the board on a corner of the textured vinyl fabric and trace the perimeter. Cut the vinyl along the marked line. Apply hot melt glue to the board and press the vinyl onto the glue.
• Fix the power mesh: Cut two 11-inch (28 cm) squares of power mesh fabric. Layer and center them over the board, stretching tightly, and use binder clips to secure the power mesh to the board.
3. Prepare the silicone mixture
• Mix the components: Pour the two components of the silicone rubber into a clean mixing container at the specified ratio, usually 1:1.
• Add pigments (if needed): Add appropriate silicone pigments to the silicone of part B and pre-mix thoroughly to achieve the desired color.
• Thoroughly stir: Stir the mixture in the container for about 2 minutes to ensure even mixing.
• Degassing: Put the mixed silicone into a vacuum device for degassing to remove air bubbles in the silicone, which can improve the quality of the final product.
4. Create the dermis layer
• Pour the silicone: Pour the degassed silicone onto the center of the power mesh on the working surface. Use an aggressive stippling motion to saturate the power mesh with silicone.
• Repeat the process: Pour additional silicone onto the working surface and repeat the stippling motion.
• Smooth the surface: Pour the remaining silicone onto the working surface and use a fluid brushing motion to create a smooth surface. Allow the silicone to partially cure for about 45 minutes until it becomes "tacky".
5. Create the fat layer
• Prepare the ecoflex gel: Mix the silicone gel components A and B in a 1:1 ratio. Add yellow pigment to part B and pre-mix thoroughly. Pour the two parts into a clean container and stir for 2 minutes.
• Pour and spread: Pour the mixed ecoflex gel onto the center of the dermis layer and let it evenly flow over the dermis layer. Allow it to partially cure for 30 minutes until tacky.
• Thicken the layer: Mix a second batch of pigmented gel and apply it to thicken the fat layer. Evenly spread the silicone gel and let it partially cure for another 30 minutes.
6. Create the muscle layer
• Prepare the silicone for the muscle layer: Add blood color pigment to skin silicone part B and pre-mix. Pour parts A and B into a clean container and stir for 2 minutes.
• Pour and spread: Pour the mixed silicone onto the center of the fat layer and use a brush to evenly spread it over the fat layer. Allow the muscle layer to cure for at least 4 hours at room temperature.
7. Demolding
• Remove the clips: Once the cured silicone is no longer tacky, remove the binder clips from the edges of the board.
• Separate the pad: Carefully separate the suture pad from the vinyl surface.
• Trim the edges: Use scissors to carefully trim away the edges of the suture pad to make it neat.
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