Latex Film-forming Technologies Developed by Condom Production

Condoms, which are controlled medical devices, are easily utilized as they are low cost and cause no side effects. Condoms are increasingly used as one of the most effective means of birth control and prevention of sexually trans-mitted diseases. When producing condoms, the dipping/drying processes are repeated twice during the molding. After being released from the mold, post-vulcanization is applied. The quality inspection of the finished products includes a bursting test which is used as a substitute for the “no tearing during use” test. Japanese condoms of a thickness of 0.03mm had been used successfully in the past. After introducing the bursting test into ISO 4074, the condoms being 0.03mm in thickness became problematic to produce. However, the subsequent development of new technologies again enabled the production of the condoms with a thickness of 0.03mm. These are more suitable to new competitive rules, and the production of the condoms continues to this day.