Custom Silicone Suction Bowl | UK 2022 Project
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Product |
Children’s Silicone Double-Ear Suction Bowl |
|---|---|
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Order Quantity |
Initial Order: 20,000 pcs |
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Material |
Food-Grade Liquid Silicone |
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Key Specs |
Hardness: Shore A45 Temperature Resistance: -40°C to 230°C |
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Certification |
FDA, LFGB, REACH |
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Lead Time |
DFM Evaluation: 24 hrs |
Project details
A British mother and baby product brand specializes in the development and sales of infant feeding products. This client had previously collaborated with other manufacturers, but the sample products had some problems: the suction cups on the bottom of the bowls had insufficient adhesion, the handles were prone to whitening and cracking, the parting lines were exposed, and burrs easily formed on the rim of the bowls.
With years of experience in manufacturing silicone baby products, Z.S.R carefully considered the existing issues in the customer’s samples and completed the DFM structure optimization: stabilizing the suction cup force, improving the handle structure, adjusting the parting line position, and eliminating burrs on the bowl rim.
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
Optimized Suction Cup Negative Pressure Cavity
To improve the stability of the suction cup adhesion at the bottom of the bowl, Z.S.R engineers adjusted the thickness of the suction cup lip to 0.8 mm, added a 0.5 mm support bump to the center of the suction cup, set the lip outward angle to 15°, and added a ring-shaped reinforcing rib to the outer ring of the suction cup.
The original suction cup lip was too thick and lacked support points. When in contact with a wet surface, the suction cup couldn’t create a stable negative pressure, causing suction to weaken quickly. Optimizing the suction cup support structure and lip angle allows a stable vacuum to be created within the suction cup after pressing the bowl, improving its suction performance.
Optimized Handle Root Structure
Z.S.R created a smooth, gradual wall thickness transition at the connection between the bowl body and the handle, adjusted the radius of the handle root from R0.5 mm to R1.3 mm, and added reinforcing ribs inside the handle.
The original handle’s base radius was too small, resulting in a rapid change in wall thickness. During use, stress concentrated at the handle’s corner, leading to whitening and breakage over time. Increasing the base radius and using a gradual wall thickness distributes stress at the handle corner, extending the baby bowl’s lifespan.
Optimized Parting Line, Gate, and Venting Channels
The engineering team recommended moving the parting line and gate to the bottom of the bowl. Additionally, to prevent material shortages and air bubbles during molding, Z.S.R added a 0.03 mm micro-venting channel at the end of the melt filling.
The parting line and weld lines were located on the outside of the bowl, affecting the overall appearance and creating potential safety hazards such as burrs and flash. Adjusting the parting line and gate to a concealed location and adding venting channels reduces post-processing steps and improves product yield.
Blunt Edge Design for the Bowl Rim
To ensure a good user experience for babies, the rim of the bowl is thickened and rounded with a full circumference of R1.5 mm, and the mold core is polished to Ra0.4 μm.
Sharp edges of infant and toddler products may cause scratches. The rounded corners of the bowl and the polished mold core ensure that the finished product is both safe and pleasant to the touch.
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 liquid silicone bowl molds. Mold cores are mirror-polished to ensure a smooth, burr-free surface for the silicone bowls.
Silicone Molding
Production is supported by 48 solid molding machines, 12 liquid molding machines, and 13 injection molding machines using liquid silicone injection molding technology, enabling the rapid molding of 20,000 silicone suction bowls within 20 days. Over 10 printing and spraying production lines also allow for printing logos or patterns on the silicone bowls.
Secondary Vulcanization
After molding, the silicone suction bowls undergo secondary vulcanization at 200°C for 2 hours.
The secondary curing process removes small-molecule volatiles from the silicone, ensuring food contact safety for infants and young children.
Quality Inspection
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Test |
Condition |
Acceptance Criteria |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|
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Visual Inspection |
100% inspection of inner and outer bowl surfaces |
No bubbles, scratches, dirt, obvious flash, or burrs |
Pass |
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Suction Base Adhesion Test |
Vertical pull test after suction base is attached to a smooth surface |
Vertical pull force ≥ 12 N, does not detach easily |
Pass |
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Handle Fatigue Test |
Double-ear handles repeatedly pulled 5,000 times |
No whitening, cracks, or splitting |
Pass |
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Bowl Rim Safety Inspection |
Tactile feel and visual inspection of the entire rim edge |
No sharp edges, burrs, or cutting risks |
Pass |
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Dimensional Accuracy Inspection |
Caliper and vision measuring machine measurement of key dimensions |
Key dimensions meet ±0.08 mm tolerance |
Pass |
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Suction Base Structure Dimension Inspection |
Measurement of lip thickness, angle, and support structure |
Meets DFM design requirements |
Pass |
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Food Contact Migration Test |
Laboratory chemical migration testing |
Meets relevant FDA and LFGB requirements |
Pass |
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Hazardous Substances Test |
REACH SVHC testing |
Meets REACH limit requirements |
Pass |
The production samples passed the specified visual, suction adhesion, handle fatigue, rim safety, dimensional, and food contact inspections. In particular, no whitening, cracks, or splitting was observed after the double-ear handles were repeatedly pulled 5,000 times.
Related Product
Customer reviews & feedback
“We are extremely satisfied with this product! We would consider purchasing it again if needed in the future.” The product range was later expanded from the initial 10 designs to 30, and the customer placed a repurchase order for 35,000 units in April 2023.
Custom Silicone Suction Bowl
OEM & ODM solutions for brands, retailers, wholesalers, and Ecommerce sellers. Food-grade liquid silicone suction bowls with FDA/LFGB/REACH compliance.
Other Project
For industrial-scale production, ZSR Group also operates a dedicated silicone compression molding service for custom silicone parts.
