Custom Silicone Christmas Tree Mold | Canadian 2022 Project
|
Product |
6-Cavity Christmas Tree Silicone Baking Mold |
|---|---|
|
Order Quantity |
Initial Order: 38,000 pcs |
|
Material |
Food-Grade Solid Silicone |
|
Key Specs |
Hardness: Shore A40 Temperature Resistance: -40°C to 230°C |
|
Certification |
LFGB, BPA-Free, Phthalate-Free |
|
Lead Time |
DFM Evaluation: 24 hrs |
Project details
A Canadian holiday-themed baking product brand wanted to develop a six-cavity, one-piece Christmas tree-shaped baking mold that could be placed directly in a high-temperature oven. Initially, the client collaborated with other manufacturers on prototyping and encountered several problems: the Christmas tree’s tiered steps were prone to breakage, it tended to stick during demolding, and air bubbles and missing material were present on the surface.
With 19 years of experience in troubleshooting silicone products, Z.S.R’s engineering team conducted a Design for Manufacturing (DFM) evaluation of the customer’s samples, optimizing structural strength, demolding design, and injection and venting to ensure the integrity of the Christmas tree’s layered details.
Based on the DFM results, the project moved into mold making and sample production, followed by quality verification of the first batch before mass production.
Delivery data
Engineering DFM Assessment
Rounded Corners on Christmas Tree Steps
Engineers added rounded corners (R0.3~R0.4 mm) to the corners of each step on the Christmas tree, creating a smooth transition at the base of each layer and dispersing bending stress at the thin walls of the steps.
The multi-tiered step structure of the Christmas tree has a significant height difference. Sharp corners experience stress concentration during bending, demolding, and alternating heating and cooling, making them prone to whitening and cracking after repeated use. Small rounded corners disperse concentrated stress throughout the arc segment, improving tear resistance at the steps.
Draft Angle Added to Side Walls
The original mold cavity was vertical, which caused the finished product to stick tightly to the core during demolding. Engineers added a 1.2° draft angle to the side walls and step surfaces to reduce mold opening friction.
Vertical, non-draft step surfaces, with silicone tightly encasing the core after molding, can lead to cracking and deformation of the finished product due to strong pulling during demolding. The 1.2° draft angle along the product contour minimizes demolding resistance and results in a complete finished product.
Symmetrical Runners + Independent Venting in Step Grooves
Engineers adopted symmetrical runners for balanced material feeding in all six Christmas tree mold cavities. 0.02 mm micro-venting grooves were added to the lowest points and corners of the Christmas tree’s layered steps to expel trapped air.
Single-point injection in a 6-cavity mold can cause uneven filling pressure in each cavity, leading to insufficient filling in distant cavities. Step recesses are dead zones prone to air trapping, easily forming air bubbles and material shortages during molding. Symmetrical runners balance material feeding into each cavity, and independent venting in the step dead zones ensures clear and full layered textures on the Christmas tree.
Mold Making, Sample Production & Quality Verification
Mold Processing
Z.S.R Group is equipped with 10 advanced CNC machining centers and 4 EDM machines for silicone Christmas tree mold making. A single-stage flow molding process is used on a steel mold, with the cavity precision milled and micro-engraved to create the layered steps of the Christmas tree. The cavity is polished to Ra0.2 μm to ensure smooth step lines.
Silicone Molding
Production is supported by 48 solid molding machines, 12 liquid molding machines, and 13 injection molding machines, enabling the rapid molding of 30,000 silicone Christmas tree molds within 20 days. Over 10 printing and spraying production lines also allow for printing logos or patterns on the silicone molds.
Secondary Vulcanization
After molding, the silicone Christmas tree molds undergo secondary vulcanization at 200°C for 2 hours.
The secondary curing process removes small-molecule volatiles, reduces product odor, and ensures the molds meet food contact safety standards.
Quality Inspection
|
Test |
Condition |
Acceptance Criteria |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fold Endurance Test |
Repeated folding of mold cavities for 5,000 cycles |
No cracks, no obvious stress whitening |
Pass |
|
Tear Strength Test |
Tear test on notched specimens |
Tear strength ≥ 22 kN/m |
Pass |
|
Thermal Cycling Test |
50 cycles: freeze at -40°C for 30 min ↔ bake at 230°C for 30 min |
No deformation, cracking, hardening or oil exudation |
Pass |
|
Flatness / Warpage Test |
Cooled after baking at 230°C, placed flat on horizontal glass surface |
Base plate warpage ≤ 1.2 mm |
Pass |
|
Step Contour Inspection |
Microscopic observation of Christmas tree layered structure |
Complete steps, no missing corners or tearing |
Pass |
|
Dimensional Tolerance Inspection |
Outer shape & single cavity dimensions measured by 2D vision measuring machine |
Dimensional deviation ≤ ±0.20 mm |
Pass |
|
Visual Inspection |
Full inspection of mold surface |
No bubbles, material shortage, flash or scratches |
Pass |
|
Food Migration Test |
LFGB food contact test |
Compliant with food contact safety requirements |
Pass |
The production samples passed the specified fold endurance, tear strength, thermal cycling, flatness, step contour, dimensional tolerance, visual, and food migration inspections. In particular, the Christmas tree layered structure was complete with no missing corners or tearing.
Related Product
Customer reviews & feedback
“We have received it. The quality is excellent, it has passed market testing, and the appearance is adorable, completely exceeding our expectations. Thank you! We look forward to cooperating with your company again.”
Custom Silicone Christmas Tree Mold
OEM & ODM solutions for brands, retailers, wholesalers, and Ecommerce sellers. Food-grade silicone baking molds with LFGB compliance.
Other Project
For industrial-scale production, ZSR Group also operates a dedicated silicone compression molding service for custom silicone parts.
