Client Case Study | Silicone Massage Head for Percussion Massager
As a widely used device in sports recovery and fitness, the performance and user experience of a percussion massager largely depend on the design and manufacturing of its massage head. Due to its softness, durability, and safety, the silicone massage head has become a crucial component in the design of these devices. Today, we highlight a custom solution for a client’s silicone massage head for a percussion massager.
1. Silicone Material and Hardness Selection
*Material Requirements
As a component in direct contact with the body, the massage head must be highly wear-resistant, temperature-resistant, and anti-aging, while ensuring it isn’t too hard to cause discomfort. Solid silicone, with its exceptional elasticity, durability, and resistance to chemical corrosion and biocompatibility, is the ideal material for percussion massager heads.
*Hardness Design
To suit different usage scenarios, ES Silicone provides precise adjustments to Shore hardness based on client requirements. Typically, the massage head’s hardness ranges from 45 to 65 Shore, ensuring optimal massage pressure under high-frequency vibrations while avoiding discomfort from excessive hardness. Through extensive testing, ES Silicone has developed multiple hardness versions for various massage modes to cater to diverse market needs.
2. Solid Silicone Molding Process
*Mold Development and Molding Process
High-precision mold development is key in manufacturing silicone massage heads. The solid silicone material is molded through a compression molding process, which requires high mold accuracy. Using CNC precision machining and a nitriding treatment on the mold surface increases its hardness and wear resistance. The compression molding process, suitable for high-hardness silicone products in large-scale production, involves pre-curing the silicone at high temperatures, followed by compression molding under high pressure. This method enables the precise formation of complex geometries, ensuring a flawless, smooth surface and controlling dimensional precision within ±0.05mm.
*Curing and Post-Processing
Secondary curing is essential in the molding process to ensure full cross-linking of the silicone material, enhancing its mechanical properties and durability. Following curing, ES Silicone performs post-processing steps, such as surface polishing and deburring, to achieve the premium surface quality required for high-end products. The massage heads also undergo environmental and safety testing to ensure long-term durability without material degradation.
3. Technical Challenges and Solutions
*Precision Dimensional Control
To achieve a precise fit with the percussion massager body, ES’s team conducted multiple mold adjustments and tests, maintaining dimensional tolerances within 0.05mm. The mold design incorporates multi-limit structures to ensure consistency across all silicone-formed parts.
*Surface Friction and Durability Optimization
Under prolonged high-frequency use, the massage head surface is prone to wear. To address this, ES Silicone introduced a special surface treatment to enhance durability and reduce excessive friction with the skin by incorporating micro-structures on the surface. Additionally, the silicone material undergoes high-temperature aging tests to ensure stable performance over time.
This silicone massage head project demonstrates ES Silicone’s expertise in solid silicone molding and proficiency in high-precision mold development, hardness design, and product performance optimization.
4. Conclusion
Looking ahead, ES Silicone will continue advancing its expertise in silicone products, delivering high-performance solutions to drive further innovation in percussion massagers and other recovery equipment, offering comprehensive silicone and plastic component support.
