The Manufacturing Process of Disposable Sterile Latex Surgical Gloves

Disposable sterile latex surgical gloves are an essential tool for healthcare professionals. They provide a barrier against infection and help prevent the spread of disease. But have you ever wondered how these gloves are made? In this article, we'll take a closer look at the manufacturing process of disposable sterile latex surgical gloves.

1 Raw Materials

The first step in manufacturing disposable sterile latex surgical gloves is to gather the raw materials. The primary material used in the production of surgical gloves is natural rubber latex, which is harvested from rubber trees in tropical regions. The latex is then purified, and other materials such as curing agents, accelerators, and pigments are added to the mix.

Forming the Gloves

Once the raw materials have been gathered and mixed, the latex is formed into gloves. The manufacturing process typically involves dipping a former (or mold) into the latex mixture, then heating and drying the gloves to remove excess moisture. This process is repeated multiple times to create a multi-layered glove that's both durable and flexible.

2-1Preparing the Formers

The first step in the dipping process is to prepare the formers. Formers are molds that are used to shape the gloves during production. They can be made from a variety of materials, including metal, ceramic, or plastic.

To prepare the formers, they are cleaned and coated with a releasing agent, which helps the gloves to slide off the formers once they've been dipped and dried. The formers are then mounted onto a production line, which will dip them into the latex mixture.

2-2 Dipping the Formers

Once the formers are in place, they're dipped into the latex mixture. The dipping process involves immersing the formers into the mixture and then slowly withdrawing them, allowing the latex to form a thin film over the surface of the former.

After the first dip, the formers are allowed to dry for a short period of time. Then, they're dipped again, and the process is repeated several times to build up the layers of the glove. The number of dips and the amount of time between dips will depend on the desired thickness of the glove.

2-3 Curing the Gloves

After the gloves have been formed, they need to be cured. Curing involves heating the gloves to a specific temperature for a specific amount of time. The heat causes the latex to coagulate and solidify, giving the gloves their final shape and strength.

During the curing process, the gloves may be treated with additional chemicals to improve their properties. For example, accelerators can be added to speed up the curing process, while antioxidants can be added to improve the gloves' resistance to aging and degradation.

2-4 Stripping and Washing the Gloves

Once the gloves have been cured, they need to be removed from the formers. This is done by stripping the gloves off the formers and washing them to remove any excess latex or other materials, then finally drying them.

3 Drying the Gloves

After the gloves have been washed, they're dried to remove any remaining moisture. This is typically done using hot air or infrared radiation, which helps to speed up the drying process.

4 Quality Control

The gloves then go through a quality control process to ensure that they meet the required standards for strength, thickness, and other properties like pin holes free and powder content etc. Inspection: All our FITONE surgical gloves have to go through air-testing to ensure it meets the necessary quality standards, such as the absence of defects, tears or holes before packing.

5 Packaging

The gloves are then packed in a clean room environment to ensure they remain free from contamination. The packaging typically consists of a peel-open wrapper made of a material that maintains the sterility of the gloves and allows easy access.

6 Sterilization

Sterilization is a critical step in the production of sterile latex surgical gloves to ensure that they are free from any harmful microorganisms that could cause infections in patients. The sterilization process usually involves the use of gamma radiation or ethylene oxide gas.

7 Microbial Testing

This test is conducted to ensure that the gloves are free from any harmful microorganisms.

In conclusion, the manufacturing process of disposable sterile latex surgical gloves is a complex and multi-step process that involves gathering raw materials, forming the gloves, cleaning and packaging them, and sterilizing them for use. By understanding how these gloves are made, we can better appreciate the skill and precision that goes into creating this essential tool for healthcare professionals.

FITONE has been engaged in disposable gloves making for more than two decades, just contact our team now to explore the professional and reliable medical gloves journey!