The great secret of the condom production process is vulcanization, that is, a chemical reaction that increases the resistance of the rubber without making it lose its elasticity. As a matter of fact, if vulcanization did not exist, ultra-elastic condoms such as the ones we know would certainly not exist, in the same way that flexible shoe soles, tennis balls and tires would not exist. With vulcanized rubber, the process is simple: just place it in a glass mold and let it dry.
“The great secrets of condom production are the formulation of the latex compound (raw material for rubber) and the homogeneous distribution in the molds”, says chemical engineer Walter Spinardi Junior, from Johnson & Johnson, which produces one of the condom brands most used in Brazil.
But, as a condom is not an accessory used in any part of our body, the manufacturing process has essential details to maintain your friend’s health and avoid unwanted surprises. There are several quality tests and extra care with the material used, after all, a little too much of certain chemical products can cause allergies in your very sensitive bilau and put it in the shipyard for a long time.
Between the forest and your bed, the condom goes through a long process
1 – The raw material of condoms is latex, extracted from the feet of rubber trees. But the latex used to produce condoms does not arrive at the factory exactly as it left the forest: to gain more elasticity, it is filtered until it is 60% rubber, twice as much as the original – the rest is basically water.
2 – Despite arriving at the factory with increased elasticity, the latex needs to gain more resistance. That’s what the vulcanization process does. The process consists of adding sulfur and some other chemicals to the latex, and subjecting the mixture to high temperatures – the heat accelerates the reaction.
3 – In the immersion tank, the condom really looks like a condom. For this, glass molds are used which, after being washed and dried, are immersed in a tank filled with latex compound (latex with increased resistance and elasticity). From there, it goes through a kiln to dry, and goes through another immersion and another kiln, which reinforce the latex layer.
4 – Still in the mold, the raw condom goes on the assembly line. First, it passes through rotating brushes – like those used in car washes -, which form the sheath in the mouth of the condom, leaving it ready for final drying in a large oven. There goes all the water present in the raw material and the rubber, in short, becomes hard
5 – Another step with a strange name: leaching. A machine dips the condom (still in the mold) into a tank full of chemicals to eliminate bad particles that can eventually cause allergy or discomfort to users. Both original latex substances and products added in vulcanization fall out in this process.
6 – A jet of water aimed at the sheath takes the condom out of the mold, throwing it straight onto a conveyor belt. The mold returns to its cycle, going through the wash, and the condom goes through a bath of talc, silica or cornstarch, which end its sticky consistency. After that, it is dried again and ready for quality testing.
7 – Quality tests are mandatory and regulated in detail by rules of the National Health Surveillance Agency. Absolutely all condoms pass the hole test: an electric current is applied to the condom and if the energy does not run through its surface, it means that there are no holes.
8 – The machine that performs the electrical test throws the condom on the conveyor belt, already rolled up and ready to receive a drop of lubricant and be packaged. Some samples are sent to other mandatory tests, such as air insufflation (pressure and volume limits are analyzed) and liquid test (a jet of water fills the condom up to its limit)
9 – The last test is done by you. Remember that, despite all the care taken during production, if you don’t put the condom on carefully, it can break and cause unpleasant surprises. The next step you already know, right?!
Read too:
– The most bizarre condoms in the world
– How not to get pregnant if the condom breaks?
– What are the safest contraceptive methods?