What are the Process and Difficulties in Producing Rubber Chew Ring?

Materials

Traditional natural rubber is still the mainstream, but the new E-TPU microporous foam material (thermoplastic polyurethane foam) has become the first choice in the pet rubber rings market its significantly enhanced wear resistance and its inherent antibacterial properties. Some manufacturers use bio-based rubber, replacing petroleum-based raw materials with plant extracts, and shortening the degradation cycle to 1-2 years.

Process Flow

Rubber and additives (plasticizers, pigments) are mixed at high temperature in an internal mixer and then rolled into sheets through an open mixer to ensure rubber dog ring uniformity. The mixture is molded at 160-180°C, where the sulfur cross-linking reaction enhances elasticity, taking 2-4 hours. Laser deburring, UV coating spraying (anti-mildew) and 48-hour aging test.

Production Difficulties ‌

Enzymes in pet saliva, ultraviolet radiation and repeated biting can easily cause rubber molecular chains to break. Antioxidants (such as hindered phenols) and UV absorbers (such as benzotriazoles) need to be added to natural rubber (NR) or styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), but excessive addition will reduce the elasticity of the rubber chew ring and affect the chewing experience of pets. Nano-level dispersion is required through multiple thin-gap milling passes (≤40°C). In addition, the annular hollow structure leads to a long flow path for the rubber, making it prone to trapping air and forming surface bubbles. Huaner uses a vacuum injection mold, and the mold cavity is vacuumed to -0.08MPa; the gate design is a fan-shaped diffusion type (angle 110°). ‌

Customization

The self-owned mold workshop can provide fast proofing within 72 hours, support 200+ basic mold libraries such as annular, bone-shaped, and special-shaped, and 3D printing technology to achieve complex hollow structures. FDA-grade pigments and zero-phthalate formulas are optional, which meet the EU environmental regulatory requirements. The minimum order quantity of rubber ring dog toy‌ is reduced to 500 pieces, which is suitable for trial sales of small and medium-sized brands. Contact us for details.